OAU Lecturers Join ASUU’s Two-Week Nationwide Warning Strike

The Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has joined the two-week nationwide warning strike declared by the union’s national leadership.

Chairman of ASUU-OAU, Prof. Anthony Odiwe, confirmed the development in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Ile-Ife.

He said the industrial action, which affects all public universities across the country, followed the Federal Government’s continued failure to honour agreements and address the union’s long-standing demands.

According to him, ASUU had earlier issued a 14-day ultimatum on September 28, but the government failed to respond meaningfully before the deadline elapsed.

Odiwe said the decision to embark on the strike was reached after the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, which reviewed the persistent neglect of the university system and non-implementation of previous agreements.

“We had hoped that this administration would fulfil its promise of ensuring uninterrupted academic sessions, but unfortunately, that has not been the case,” he lamented.

The ASUU leader listed the union’s key demands to include the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement, payment of withheld three and a half months’ salaries, improved and sustainable funding for public universities, and payment of outstanding 25–35% salary arrears.

Other demands include the release of withheld third-party deductions such as cooperative contributions and the payment of promotion arrears spanning between four and seven years.

Odiwe criticised the government’s slow response to issues affecting the welfare and working conditions of university lecturers, accusing it of neglecting recommendations made by its own committees on funding and autonomy.

He also condemned the government’s insistence on the “no work, no pay” policy, saying lecturers were already overburdened by poor remuneration.

“Our members can no longer remain silent while their welfare deteriorates. The government should stop intimidating lecturers with threats; our salaries can barely sustain basic needs,” Odiwe said.

He urged the Federal Government to act quickly to address ASUU’s demands to prevent a total collapse of the education system, stressing that revitalising public universities, improving infrastructure, and ensuring a conducive learning environment were crucial to national development.

The two-week warning strike has already disrupted academic activities across public universities nationwide.