The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has accused the government of failing to address the lingering issues affecting university education in Nigeria, stating that no single issue has been permanently resolved since the administration came into power.
In a strongly worded statement, Professor Adelaja Odukoya, a Comparative Political Economy expert at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), expressed frustration over the continuous neglect of lecturers while government officials and the wealthy elite send their children abroad for quality education.
Professors vs. Justices: A Growing Pay Disparity
Highlighting the widening salary gap between university professors and top judicial officials, Odukoya recalled how, in 1960, a Nigerian professor earned 3,000 pounds annually, which was just slightly below the Chief Justice of the Federation’s salary of 3,600 pounds per annum.
However, he lamented that today, while a university professor earns approximately N5.4 million annually, the Chief Justice now takes home N64 million per year, and other Supreme Court justices earn around N60 million annually.
“Has the work of a professor become less important or dispensable, or has Nigeria suddenly become a land of justice because of the jumbo pay for judges?” he questioned.
Corruption and Neglect of Education
ASUU further accused government officials of orchestrating systemic corruption, pointing out that many junior civil servants live in luxury, owning properties in exclusive areas worldwide, while lecturers struggle to make ends meet.
The union decried the unfair treatment of lecturers, questioning the government’s continued refusal to prioritize education.
“What sin have lecturers committed? We need people in the corridors of power to tell Nigerians why this unfair treatment is meted out to us,” Odukoya added.
Is Education in Nigeria Becoming a Scam?
With the continued decline in lecturers’ welfare, lack of adequate funding for universities, and the increasing exodus of academics to other countries, ASUU warned that many Nigerians now see education as a scam, as those in power do not invest in local institutions.
The union called for urgent reforms to bridge the pay disparity, improve working conditions, and restore dignity to the teaching profession, emphasizing that the future of Nigeria’s education system remains at risk if lecturers continue to be treated unfairly.