…Says IPPIS Removal, Full Retirement Pay Among Major Wins
The immediate-past National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, has declared that the union’s sustained struggles during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari prevented the total collapse of Nigeria’s public university system.
Speaking at a reception organised in his honour on Monday at the ASUU Secretariat of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Osodeke described the Buhari era, particularly under former Labour Minister Chris Ngige, as a difficult period for the education sector.
He said ASUU had to endure numerous battles, including protracted industrial actions, just to keep public universities afloat amid hostile government policies.
“We encountered a lot of difficulties during the era of Ex-President Muhammadu Buhari—may his soul rest in peace.
“It was a tough time, worsened by Chris Ngige’s confrontational style, which nearly grounded the education system. But thanks to ASUU’s resilience, we stood our ground,” Osodeke stated.
He noted that one of the union’s major victories was the removal of public universities from the controversial Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), which lecturers had long opposed.
According to him, ASUU also secured full retirement benefits for professors, among other reforms.
“If ASUU hadn’t fought back, our public universities would have gone the way of defunct national institutions like the Nigerian Airways and public refineries,” he said.
Osodeke lamented that the persistent poor treatment of Nigerian academics had triggered a mass exodus of lecturers to countries like the United States, Europe, and Saudi Arabia, warning that the brain drain continues to undermine Nigeria’s educational development.
Reaffirming his belief in the public education system, Osodeke stressed that about 95% of Nigeria’s university students are still enrolled in public institutions, which he maintained still offer better quality education than many private universities.
Speaking at the event, the current ASUU National President, Professor Chris Piwuna, pledged to continue the union’s advocacy for university autonomy, academic freedom, and improved welfare for staff.
“ASUU’s struggle is not just for the benefit of lecturers but also for the future of Nigerian students and the education system as a whole,” Piwuna said.
Also present was the Chairperson of ASUU, MOUAU branch, Professor Chike Ugwuene, who commended Osodeke for elevating the university’s image nationally and internationally. He noted that the branch now enjoys cordial relations with the institution’s management.
The Vice-Chancellor of MOUAU, Professor Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics), Professor Nneoma Obasi, lauded Osodeke’s dedication and praised his sacrifices during “many sleepless nights of endless negotiations” for the good of the sector.
The event was attended by ASUU leaders, university officials, and members of the academic community who hailed Osodeke’s leadership as “bold, sacrificial, and transformative.”
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