The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a stern warning to the Federal Government, urging stakeholders such as the National Assembly, religious leaders, traditional rulers, and students to intervene before university lecturers are pushed into a nationwide strike.
Professor Adeola Egbedokun, the Zonal Coordinator for ASUU’s Akure Zone, voiced the union’s frustrations during a press conference at the Federal University Oye Ekiti on Tuesday.
According to Egbedokun, the administration of President Bola Tinubu has failed to address the longstanding demands of ASUU over the past two years, leading to growing dissatisfaction and unrest among university lecturers.
Amongst the ASUU demand include the implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, the provision of sustainable funding for Nigerian universities, the revitalization of the education system, the payment of outstanding salary arrears (ranging from 25 to 35 percent).
Other demand is the resolution of promotion delays stretching over four years, as well as the restitution of unremitted third-party deductions.
He further accused the government of victimizing certain university staff members, a situation that has contributed to increasing tension.
“We are now at a tipping point,” he said. “The Federal Government has refused to act on our concerns, and our patience is running out. If urgent action is not taken, the consequences will be severe.”
While acknowledging a scheduled meeting with the government on August 28, 2025, the ASUU leader stressed that time was running out. “Trust has been broken, and the government must act decisively to restore it. If the government chooses to ignore our pleas, it will be responsible for the storm that follows,” he concluded.
Egbedokun further implored all stakeholders including the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, National Association of Nigerian Students, traditional rulers, and the National Assembly, to call on FG against pushing the lecturers into an avoidable confrontation. “For over two years, we have exercised restraint and avoided strikes in favor of dialogue, but our patience has been over-stretched,” he noted.
He sighted economic hardships faced by university lecturers, who, despite educating the nation, are struggling to afford basic necessities such as their children’s school fees. “It is an irony that the very people who shape the future of our country cannot even provide for their own families,” Egbedokun lamented.
Additionally, Egbedokun denounced the recent loan policy introduced by the Federal Government, which he described as a “crude distraction” and a “sinister snare” designed to entrap ASUU members into perpetual financial bondage. He warned that the policy would further exacerbate the financial struggles of lecturers, who are already burdened by inadequate wages.
The ASUU zonal chairman also revealed that the union had staged peaceful rallies across various campuses on Monday to signal their readiness for further action if the government remains adamant. The rallies served as a precursor to the next phase of ASUU’s planned protests, should the government fail to meet their demands.
With the present situation, ASUU remains firm in its resolve to fight for better conditions for its members, sending a clear message that the government must act swiftly to prevent a nationwide strike and the severe consequences that would follow.
