“They Treat Lecturers Like Beggars”: ASUU Members Blast FG as 2-Week Strike Begins Nationwide
- The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declared a comprehensive two-week warning strike starting Monday, October 13
- In an emergency press release by ASUU President, Prof Chris Piwuna, the strike became the last option to get the government to listen to ASUU members' plights
- Meanwhile, some lecturers who spoke with Legit.ng correspondent in Ibadan hoped that the government would not treat the university lecturers as non-consequential
Nigerian university lecturers under the umbrella of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have declared a comprehensive two-week strike commencing October 13, 2025.
Source: Twitter
ASUU had earlier given a two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to commence a warning strike if nothing was done regarding its demands.
ASUU President, Prof Chris Piwuna, in an emergency press release copy of which was obtained by Legit.ng, decried the neglect of the university system by the government.
The demands of the union include the conclusion and subsequent implementation of the 2029 agreement reached by the Federal Government and ASUU.
Professor Piwuna listed the demands of ASUU to include:
“Conclusion of the renegotiated 2009 FGNASUU Agreement, release of the withheld three-and-a-half months' salaries, sustainable funding of public universities, revitalisation of universities, and cessation of the victimisation of lecturers in LASU, KSU (now Prince Abubakar Audu University), and FUTO.”
ASUU President also requested the payment of the outstanding 25-35% salary arrears, payment of promotion arrears for over four years, and release of withheld third-party deductions (cooperative contributions, union check-off dues, etc.)
Professor Piwuna added that “there is nothing sufficient on ground to stop the implementation of ASUU-NEC's resolution to embark on a two-week warning strike at the expiry of the 14 days' notice given on 28th September, 2025.
ASUU members react to warning strike
Some members of ASUU have reacted to the warning strike, waiting for what the government will do differently this time.
Dr Toba Abiloro, who is a lecturer in the Department of Accounting at the University of Ibadan, believes that the Government is not sensitive to what matters.
Dr Abilities worried over the little respect with which the government always treats university education and its primary stakeholders in Nigeria:
Source: Twitter
“They have seen the University system as one that does not have any effect on their GDP. Therefore, they treat lecturers like beggars. It is high time we (lecturers) fought for this once and for all, and Nigerians, including NANS, should also at this time support ASUU."
“What the federal government wants is to allow their Universities to be run like private Universities where they charge high fees that average Nigerians cannot afford, and by doing this, there would be a wide gap between the rich and the poor. Education remains the only weapon that bridges this gap currently.”
Dr Abiloro posited that people should see this (strike) beyond political partisanship and sentiment, saying,
“It's about the future of our upcoming ones and the future of Nigeria. If they allow FG to do their wish, they want to turn the University into self self-funding entity and it won't favour the general masses.”
The certified accountant also advised ASUU to be strategic and never allow a little thing to derail them from this struggle.
Another lecturer, Dr E. A. Adeaga of the Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, described as worrisome that the FGN-ASUU has made the negotiation "a journey in circles with increasing trust deficits with the Government."
Dr Adeaga also believed that the negotiation table should be done in a way that caters to the needs of every category of academic staff and not just about the Professors.
"It is a good negotiation if done using the lowest cadre as the benchmark, and other ranks up to the rank of Professor will increase accordingly. But if the negotiation is based on what a Professor should earn and the government can negotiate it down, it only means others will earn less."
FG urges ASUU to reconsider 14-day strike
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the federal government reacted to ASUU’s announcement of a 14-day nationwide strike over unresolved welfare, funding, and salary issues.
Authorities urged the Academic Staff Union of Universities to reconsider, stressing dialogue as the best path to resolve lingering academic sector disputes.
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Source: Legit.ng
