The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Lagos chapter, has strongly dismissed the Federal Government’s proposed loan scheme for university lecturers, describing it as a “Greek gift.” The union stated categorically that its members are not interested in accepting the scheme, arguing that what lecturers need is the fulfilment of their legitimate entitlements.
The position was made public during a special congress held on Tuesday, which drew a large turnout of academic staff. At the meeting, members reaffirmed their support for the actions and strategies of the union’s national leadership, which has consistently demanded that the government address lingering issues affecting the university system.
The UNILAG chapter also voted unanimously to support all the steps being proposed by ASUU’s national body to press home its demands. According to the lecturers, only a united front will compel the government to listen and act decisively on the matters of salaries, allowances, and the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement.
Addressing members who had marched through the campus from the Main Gate before converging at the venue of the congress, the Branch Chairman, Professor Idowu Kehinde, said there was no justification for the loan scheme if the Federal Government fulfilled its obligations to academics. He insisted that the loan was not a solution but a distraction.
“The loans are to be guaranteed by our union. This is not necessary. The Governing Council of each university can grant loans to our members under the conditions of service already established. If lecturers are paid a living wage and all their allowances are honoured, who would want to go borrowing money?” Kehinde asked.
He stressed that the Federal Government must stop shifting responsibility and do “the needful.” According to him, lecturers are not beggars but professionals who deserve to be treated with dignity. He noted that the idea of pushing academics towards borrowing reflects badly on a country that claims to value education.
The chairman further explained that the current hardship faced by lecturers was not due to an absence of financial prudence but rather the result of unpaid salaries, withheld allowances, and government’s failure to implement agreements reached over the years. He said it was unacceptable for the government to impose loans when entitlements have been withheld.
ASUU members at the congress also condemned what they described as the government’s attempt to undermine the union by dangling credit schemes instead of addressing the root causes of their grievances. They maintained that the loan scheme was an “insult” to the profession and rejected it in its entirety.
During the march, lecturers carried placards with inscriptions such as “Pay Us, Don’t Lend Us,” “Fulfil 2009 Agreement Now,” and “Stop Pauperising Academics.” These messages, they explained, captured the frustration of scholars who have endured years of unfulfilled promises.
The UNILAG ASUU leadership reiterated that it was aligned with the struggles of other chapters nationwide, including those of Bayero University Kano, the University of Uyo, and the Federal University of Lafia, where lecturers have also staged protests in recent weeks. They insisted that solidarity across campuses would keep pressure on the government to act.
Professor Kehinde appealed to the Federal Government to reconsider its approach, warning that the continuous neglect of ASUU’s demands could plunge the country into another round of academic disruption. He stressed that lecturers were determined to pursue their demands to a logical conclusion.
For now, the UNILAG chapter has made its position clear: no loans, no distractions, only the payment of entitlements, implementation of agreements, and genuine commitment to revitalising Nigerian universities will resolve the lingering crisis.
