The leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Osun State University, Osogbo chapter, has decried the non-payment of a 25-35% pay rise to all staff of tertiary institutions.
The union leaders held a solidarity protest to press home the demands of their colleagues working in federal government-owned universities, disclosing that states, including Osun, that were not carried along before the increase was announced, had implemented it.
Addressing journalists during the solidarity protest held at the main campus of Osun State University in Osogbo, on Tuesday, UNIOSUN ASUU Chairperson, Wende Olaosebikan, said many university lecturers are being subjected to various forms of intimidation and illegal dismissal by the governing councils and visitors to the universities.
Speaking further on some of the demands of the union, Olaosebikan explained, “The Yayale Ahmed-led Committee, set up by President Tinubu and ASUU, had concluded work on the re-negotiated Agreement since December 2024 and submitted the document to the Federal Government since February 2025.
“In view of the excruciating economic situation and other prevailing circumstances, one would have expected that such agreement with direct impacts on Nigeria’s public university system and eggheads would be given accelerated executive accent.
“Sadly, eight months after its conclusion and six months after its submission, it is still gathering dust in the drawer of the same Federal Government that promised never to allow another ASUU strike in Nigeria.”
Regarding sustainable funding of public universities, UNIOSUN ASUU Chairperson, said the government at both state and federal levels have turned deaf ear to calls for adequate and sustainable funding of the 72 federal and 108 state universities across the country.
He added that, “It is wrong that the budgetary provision made for revitalising these institutions in the 2025 annual budget has remained unreleased to the Council of the various universities while our members and students are operating under harsh, heartbreaking, inconducive and unbearable conditions for qualitative academic activities.”
Demanding an end to victimisation of lecturers by the university authorities, he further alleged that their colleagues, “Have been subjected to illegal dismissal, intimidation, harassment and other forms of victimisation.
“Even after court rulings in their favour, the Governing Councils of these Universities, in collaboration with their Visitors, are still hell-bent in punishing the innocent lecturers for standing for the truth in the face of oppression.”
Olaosebikan called on well-meaning Nigerians, opinion leaders, religious bodies, traditional institutions, civil society organisations, parents and other stakeholders to prevail on the Tinubu-led administration to sign Yayale Ahmed’s re-negotiated Agreement on or before August 28 or risk industrial unrest on campuses.
