Are They Really Sincere?

On Monday, 13th October, 2025, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) commenced a two-week warning strike over the Federal Government’s (FG) failure to sign the 2009 collectively bargained agreement (CBA) its representative led by Alhaji Ahmed Yayale entered into with the Union. To make matter worse, the Minister for Education, Dr Tunji Alausa wrote to Vice Chancellors of federal universities to activate the ‘no work, no pay’ policy of the FG. This is the same Dr Tunji Alausa who previously appreciated ASUU for its patience over the FG’s delay in addressing the Union’s demands.

All of a sudden, the same Minister Tunji Alausa became hostile to the Union for embarking on the warning strike. His action calls to the question: Is he really sincere? President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in the Union’s strike during Late President Muhamadu Buhari’s administration in 2022, allegedly offered to solve the ASUU-FG imbroglio. During campaign prior to his becoming Nigeria’s president, President Tinubu promised to address permanently ASUU’s demands. One expected that having assumed the presidency, ASUU demands would have been addressed before now. Sadly, that is not the case. What about Femi Gbajamiala? He was speaker of House of Representatives during Late President Buhari’s administration. He led a delegation to Aso Villa to mediate in ASUU-FG’s faceoff in 2022. Because of that act, Nigerians and probably some members of ASUU felt Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajamiala has the interest of Nigeria’s public universities at heart. When he was appointed Chief to Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2023, universities’ lecturers heaved a sigh of relief that the combination of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Rt Hon Femi Gbajamiala will address ASUU’s demands. Sadly, nothing positive has happened since they assumed the saddle of the nation’s leadership. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed United States’ (US) based medical doctor and Assistant Professor at Rush University Medical School in the US, Dr Tunji Alausa as Minister for Education in 2024. He is supposed to exemplify the culture of good university environment from the US where he lived for years. Unfortunately, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajamiala and Dr Tunji Alausa are yet to address the demands of ASUU.

Does it mean that these men in the current administration are not really sincere in addressing ASUU’s demands? Were they in the past pretending to show concern over Nigerian public universities? Were they just using the ASUU demands as political gimmicks to warm their way into the heart of Nigerians? Were they really honest in their interventions during Late President Muhamadu Buhari’s civilian administration?

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These men should know that posterity is watching them as they handle the ASUU demands. They should write their names in gold by addressing sincerely, squarely as well as once and for all, ASUU’s demands. Come to think of it, are the ASUU demands out of place? The answer is NO.

Research has shown that Nigerian universities’ lecturers are the least paid in Africa. Nigerian public universities are one of the worst if not the worst in infrastructures in Africa. God has blessed Nigeria with abundant resources that are more than enough to make Nigerian public universities the best on the continent. Also, Nigerian universities’ lecturers are part of the best on the continent despite FG’s reluctance to adequately fund universities. Even the United Nations’ recommendation of 26% to education in national budget is still a mirage in Nigeria’s national and states’ budgets.

In the course of the two-week warning strike, some notable Nigerians and the Nigerian Senate intervened and appealed to ASUU to call off the warning strike.
ASUU as a patriotic union who has the interest of parents, students and the nation, called off the strike on Wednesday, 22nd October, 2025. This was to allow conclusion of the 2009 Renegotiated Agreement in the next one month.

It is hoped that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Rt Hon Femi Gbajamiala and Dr Tunji Alausa will do what is right and write their names in gold by sincerely, squarely and holistically address the demands of ASUU within the timeframe. Come to think of it, are the demands of ASUU too much? Not at all. The totality of the demands of ASUU is to make Nigerian public universities truly autonomous, adequately funded and fairly reward staff. ASUU’s demands are not burdensome to a government who priorities quality education.
Posterity is watching and waiting to see how President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Rt. Hon.Femi Gbajamiala and Dr Tunji Alausa will address the demands of ASUU to show if they are really sincere.

Comrade Ese Umukoro,
ASUU-DELSU.