President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, has issued a stern warning, indicating that Nigerians will soon hear from the union regarding the way forward in their ongoing standoff with the federal government.
Speaking in a recent statement, Osodeke expressed deep frustration over the government’s failure to honor agreements made with the union.
The ASUU president revealed that despite persistent efforts, including personal sacrifices by the union’s leadership, the government appears indifferent to their concerns. “I even used myself as collateral, yet, the government seems not to bother,” he added.
The crux of the disagreement lies in the government’s failure to fully implement the agreements signed with ASUU, including funding for university infrastructure, unpaid salaries, and the adoption of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as the payment platform for lecturers.
These unresolved issues have been a longstanding source of conflict, leading to repeated industrial actions over the years.
Professor Osodeke further stated that while the union has exercised significant patience and restraint to avoid disrupting academic activities, the growing frustration among members cannot be ignored. Many lecturers, he explained, are increasingly unwilling to continue waiting indefinitely while their grievances remain unaddressed.
Education analysts warn that if ASUU proceeds with another strike, it could further destabilize Nigeria’s already fragile tertiary education system, which has faced repeated shutdowns in recent years due to unresolved disputes.
Students and parents are already expressing concerns over the possibility of another strike, fearing that it could disrupt academic calendars and delay graduations yet again.
Professor Osodeke called on the government to honor its commitments, emphasizing that the union remains open to dialogue but will not hesitate to take decisive action if meaningful progress is not made soon.
According to him, “Nigerians will hear from us about the way forward this early January. Now, our members have already run out of patience. It is only that the leadership has been pleading with them for more time with the government. I even used myself as collateral, yet, government seems not to bother.”