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By Tracy Moses
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Nsukka Zone, has declared its readiness to resist what it described as the Federal Government’s (FG) persistent attempt to undermine and impoverish the nation’s academic system.
The Union also issued a caution to parents and students across universities under the zone, notifying them of an imminent strike should government continue to ignore their long-standing demands.
The Nsukka Zone of ASUU comprises Benue State University (BSU), Enugu State University of Technology (ESUT), Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (FUAM), Federal University Lokoja (FUL), Federal University Wukari (FUW), Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo (FUHSO), Kogi State University, Anyigba (KSU), and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
Speaking at a press briefing held at the Moses Orshio Adasu University (formerly Benue State University), on Wednesday, the Zonal Coordinator, Dr. Christian Opata, stressed that while universities across the country face peculiar challenges, the current agitation is centered on the implementation of the recommendations of the Yayale Ahmed Committee.
He lamented that despite several agreements reached with ASUU in the past, successive governments have consistently failed to honor their promises, adding that the union has refrained from strike actions in the last two years, not because issues have been addressed, but to avoid being unfairly labeled as “strike mongers.”
According to him:
“ASUU, as a body of intellectuals, remains resolute in the struggle to reposition Nigeria as a true giant in terms of educational quality and technological advancement among nations. The deliberate impoverishment of Nigerian academics is unacceptable. Our struggle will continue until government prioritizes education and restores the dignity of the system, as was the case in the early post-independence era.
“We are drawing the attention of Nigerians, especially students and their parents, to an approaching storm. If allowed to escalate, it could snowball into a crisis of unimaginable proportions. For over a decade, we have dialogued with government, signed agreements, set timelines, yet each time government deliberately discards the agreements.
“Yes, Nigerians may be surprised that we have not gone on strike for two years. This does not mean our concerns have been resolved, but was a conscious decision to show Nigerians and the international community that we are not addicted to strikes as government wants the public to believe. But after giving government sufficient time to demonstrate sincerity, we may have no choice but to return to the trenches.”
Opata further faulted government’s claim of insufficient funds to properly finance education, pointing out that initiatives such as the Tertiary Institution Staff Support Fund (TISSF) have proved otherwise. He condemned government’s disregard for the work of several renegotiation committees including those led by Wale Babalakin, Munzali Jibril, Nimi Briggs, and now Yayale Ahmed, despite heavy investments of time and public funds.
“Since February 2025, the renegotiated agreement of the Yayale Ahmed-led committee has been before the government, yet nothing meaningful has been done. If the idea is to test the will of our union, then it is time to respond,” he warned.
ASUU therefore called on Nigerians and the international community to prevail on government to act responsibly, warning that the union may no longer attend meetings convened without a show of genuine commitment.
“A stitch in time saves nine,” Opata cautioned.