The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a distress signal, revealing a concerning trend of mass resignations within Nigeria’s public universities.
Prof. Ayo Akinwole, Chairman of the University of Ibadan Chapter of ASUU, raised the alarm in Ibadan, Oyo State, expressing deep concern about the critical understaffing of departments and units across the nation’s public universities.
According to Akinwole, the exodus of lecturers in search of better opportunities has left many departments in dire straits. He highlighted the lamentable conditions faced by lecturers, citing stress and frustration resulting from inadequate remuneration.
Akinwole emphasized the urgent need for President Bola Tinubu to intervene by revising the conditions of service, including terms, salaries, allowances, and infrastructure.
The ASUU Chairman criticized the government’s paradoxical approach, stating, “Unfortunately, the same government that is not funding education has a National Assembly proposing to establish 32 more universities.”
He argued that creating additional universities would not address the root issues but rather suggested improving the capacity of existing institutions to admit more students.
Akinwole identified poor and delayed salaries, unpaid allowances, inadequate infrastructure, lack of respect for the academic community, and diminishing hope as factors contributing to the surge in lecturer resignations.
He warned that unless the government takes intentional steps to review and enhance conditions of service, the trend of losing qualified educators to foreign institutions may persist.
Highlighting the challenges faced by Vice Chancellors in recruiting replacements, Akinwole stressed the bureaucratic hurdles involved in gaining approval from Abuja, which often leads to significant delays. He urged the government to expedite the approval process to prevent the loss of top-tier candidates to countries that prioritize and respect the quality of education.
The ASUU Chairman concluded by expressing the union’s commitment to advocating for improved working conditions for lecturers, urging swift government intervention to address the escalating crisis in Nigeria’s public universities.