By Mustafa Abubakar
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Ilorin Branch, has appealed to the Federal Government to urgently address unresolved issues in the nation’s public universities to avert another round of industrial unrest.
Speaking at a press conference last Tuesday (August 27, 2025) at the Union’s Secretariat, the Branch Chairman, Dr Alex Akanmu, said the calm experienced in recent months is largely due to the patriotism of lecturers who have continued to work in hope that government would fulfill its promises.
Dr Akanmu outlined the key concerns of the Union, saying, “Our demands remain clear: the immediate renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement, sustainable funding and revitalisation of universities, respect for university autonomy, settlement of withheld salaries, payment of promotion arrears, and the mainstreaming of earned academic allowances. These issues cannot continue to suffer delays.”
He lamented that allocation to education in Nigeria remains below 7% of the national budget, far short of UNESCO’s recommended 15–26%.
According to Dr Akanmu, ‘‘the chronic underfunding has left laboratories empty, lecture rooms in disrepair, and students in poor accommodation.’’
“While countries like Kenya and Ghana invest heavily in education, our institutions are struggling to survive,” he said.
The Union also expressed concern over the erosion of university autonomy, reminding the government of the outstanding three and a half months’ salaries withheld during the 2022 strike, the balance of ₦10 billion still owed as earned academic allowance, and the yet to be paid promotion arrears in some universities for over four years.
While acknowledging the Federal Government’s planned meeting with ASUU, Dr Akanmu urged sincerity and swift action, noting that academics are growing weary of endless negotiations.
“This is not about confrontation but about the survival of our universities. We are peace loving patriots, but the sacrifices of our members must be respected. The time to act is now,” he stressed.
