The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called on key stakeholders in the Nigerian project to intervene and caution the Federal Government against compelling university lecturers to embark on another nationwide strike. The warning came amidst rising tensions over the government’s alleged neglect of agreements and unmet demands.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti, the Zonal Coordinator of ASUU Akure Zone, Professor Adeola Egbedokun, expressed dissatisfaction over President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s failure to address critical issues affecting the university system, even after two years in office. He noted that lecturers’ patience has been stretched beyond its limits.
Egbedokun stated that the government’s insensitivity to ASUU’s agitation has pushed university teachers to the brink. According to him, the situation has become intolerable, and unless urgent action is taken, lecturers may have no other option but to resort to strike action. He emphasized that the neglect has already eroded the trust of the academic community in the government.
The union leader listed ASUU’s major demands to include the full implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, sustainable funding of universities, revitalisation of public institutions, payment of outstanding salary arrears ranging between 25 to 35 percent, stagnated promotions for over four years, and unremitted third-party deductions. He also condemned the victimisation of ASUU members in certain institutions.
In his words, “We will fight back, and the consequences will be damning unless the government takes a decisive step to attend to our requests urgently. The clock is ticking, and time is no longer on the government’s side.” He warned that a nationwide shutdown of universities would become inevitable if the Federal Government chooses provocation over responsibility.
Egbedokun revealed that the National Executive Committee of ASUU has resolved to keep all options open. He stressed that the government must take responsibility and act decisively or be ready to face the consequences of any disruption in the education sector. “The ball is squarely in the government’s court,” he declared.
The ASUU zonal coordinator urged Nigerians of goodwill, including the National Assembly, the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, traditional rulers, and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), to prevail on the government to avert an avoidable confrontation. He maintained that the union has shown restraint for over two years by refraining from strikes, relying instead on dialogue, but the government has failed to reciprocate this gesture.
According to him, lecturers are now living in dire straits, as their incomes remain frozen while their relevance in today’s economy continues to diminish. “It is a bitter irony that the very lecturers who educate the nation cannot afford to pay their own children’s school fees,” he lamented, painting a grim picture of the realities facing academics in Nigeria.
Professor Egbedokun also decried the Federal Government’s handling of the report of the Alhaji Yayale Ahmed-led re-negotiation committee, which was concluded and submitted as far back as February 2025. He described the government’s indifference as a betrayal of trust and a deliberate disregard for collective bargaining principles.
In addition, the union leader strongly cautioned members against embracing the loan policy introduced by the Federal Government, describing it as a trap designed to enslave lecturers. He argued that the scheme would undermine cooperative societies and leave academics in perpetual financial bondage, struggling to meet essential needs such as healthcare, housing, and their children’s education.
“This loan policy is nothing but a crude distraction and a sinister snare. It is meant to suffocate our members, deny them financial independence, and strip them of their dignity as academics,” Egbedokun stated emphatically.
The union further disclosed that its members across the Akure Zone held peaceful rallies on their respective campuses on Monday as a test-run of possible actions if the government remains unresponsive. The rallies, according to Egbedokun, were intended to send a strong message that lecturers are prepared for the next phase of the struggle.
Egbedokun concluded by reminding the Federal Government that the future of Nigeria’s universities and indeed the country depends on how it treats its lecturers. He reiterated that ASUU remains committed to the education of Nigerian youths but would not hesitate to defend the welfare and dignity of its members should the government continue to neglect its responsibilities.
