ASUU has revealed that several departments and units in Nigerian public universities face significant understaffing as a result of a considerable number of educators leaving for better opportunities abroad.
On Tuesday, December 5, 2023, in Ibadan, Ayo Akinwole, the Chairman of ASUU at the University of Ibadan, conveyed a troubling message. He depicted a bleak scenario of Nigeria’s public universities, emphasizing the evident strain and discontent among inadequately remunerated lecturers.
Prof. Akinwole warned that unless President Bola Tinubu intervenes to amend service conditions, including salaries, allowances, and infrastructure, the exodus of talented individuals from the country will persist.
The ASUU chairman highlighted delayed pay, unpaid allowances, inadequate infrastructure, lack of respect for the academic community, and diminishing hope as factors fueling lecturers’ resignations. Akinwole rejected the idea that creating more institutions would resolve the crisis.
According to the chairman the union receives reports of monthly resignations due to mistreatment and meager remuneration. Global universities actively recruit top talent, and without government intervention, retaining the best minds will be a challenge.
Akinwole also revealed bureaucratic hurdles in swiftly hiring replacements, lamenting that Vice Chancellors must seek approval from Abuja, a process lasting six months to a year. He expressed frustration at interference from higher authorities, stating, that officials from the Ministry of Education to legislators want to dictate university hiring decisions.
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