In a startling revelation, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has disclosed that 84 of its members succumbed to economic hardships and unpaid salaries between May and August 2024. Speaking on Channels Television’s ‘Inside Sources’, ASUU President Prof Emmanuel Osodeke expressed grave concern over the dire conditions faced by university academics.
“In the past three months alone, Nigerian universities lost 84 academics to death,” Prof Osodeke lamented. “Despite this crisis, salaries are withheld under the ‘no-work, no-pay’ policy, compounding the challenges faced by our members.”
Demanding increased funding for higher education in Nigeria, Prof Osodeke emphasized the critical need to motivate lecturers. He highlighted his own salary as a stark example, noting that despite 15 years as a professor, he earns only N420,000 monthly, underscoring the inability of Nigerian educators to compete globally without adequate compensation.
ASUU had recently issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to address long-standing issues, including salary arrears and the renegotiation of agreements dating back to 2009. The union’s 2022 strike, lasting eight months, aimed to secure better welfare conditions but resulted in the imposition of a ‘no work, no pay’ policy by then-President Muhammadu Buhari. Subsequent efforts by President Bola Tinubu saw partial salary releases in October 2023.
The union’s latest disclosure underscores the urgent need for comprehensive reforms to support university educators amidst economic challenges in Nigeria.