The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has designated September 10, 2024, as “Victimized Lecturers’ Day,”.
This initiative is aimed at highlighting the persistent management challenges and struggles faced by lecturers in Nigeria’s public universities.
ASUU’s National President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, announced this development on Wednesday during a press conference held at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike.
This briefing followed a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Professor Osodeke outlined how numerous lecturers across various Nigerian universities have faced punitive actions, such as job termination, withheld salaries, and denied promotions, simply for advocating for academic staff welfare.
Institutions reportedly involved include Kogi State University, Ebonyi State University, Lagos State University, Ambrose Alli University, Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, among others.
ASUU particularly criticized the ongoing victimization of its members at FUTO for opposing the conferment of a professorship on former Minister of Communication and Digital Technology, Isah Pantami, urging the university’s management to cease such practices.
Furthermore, ASUU reiterated its demands to the Federal Government, including the need to finalize the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement, settle outstanding earned academic allowances, release withheld salaries, address promotion arrears, and halt third-party deductions from ASUU members’ funds.
The union also called for an end to illegal retirements, unchecked proliferation of public universities, and violations of university laws.
ASUU emphasized that the deteriorating state of education in Nigeria has driven many experienced academics abroad, while the number of foreign scholars and students in Nigerian universities has sharply declined.
They noted that while 95% of university students in Nigeria are enrolled in public institutions, these universities continue to operate with funding structures that predate the 2009 agreement.
The union has warned that it will take decisive action if the Federal Government fails to address these concerns within the 21-day ultimatum it has issued.
