ASUU Vs. FGN: Renewed Hope, Renewed Struggle

By Jeff Godwin Doki

It is justifiable to say that integrity is in short supply among many Nigerian politicians. Honor is a valuable asset, seldom found amidst the opportunistic dealings of our political class. Its defining characteristics – integrity, honesty, and the fulfillment of promises and oaths – are often conspicuously absent. Geoffrey Chaucer (1342-1400), the father of English poetry, brilliantly illustrates this in “The Franklin’s Tale.” Dorigen, upon a young man’s declaration of love during her husband’s absence, jokingly sets an impossible condition: clearing all the rocks from the sea. Driven by love, the young man accomplishes this feat through magic and astronomy and demands Dorigen fulfill her promise. When her husband returns and learns of the situation, he interprets her rash statement not as a jest, but as a binding promise, an agreement of honor. He grants Dorigen permission to honor her word. This illustrates the true meaning of honor: a promise, once made, must be kept. Could our politicians perhaps learn from Dorigen’s husband?

As Nigeria, the self-proclaimed “Giant of Africa,” celebrated its 65th year, we must reflect on the empty promises that have become a staple of our political landscape. During election campaigns, politicians ascend pulpits, their tongues dripping with honeyed words to win votes. They inundate us with pledges: schools and hospitals, water in every backyard, the eradication of poverty, an end to university strikes, a transformation of night into day, fair rewards for farmers, and timely degree completion for students. The list stretches endlessly, sometimes promising bridges where no rivers flow. They offer hope, painting a vision of a better world just beyond the horizon. Yet, with Nigerian politicians, this future often proves to be a mirage.

The current administration’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” is the latest example of this pattern. During the campaign, we were repeatedly assured that voting for the All Progressives Congress (APC) would mean an end to strikes in Nigerian universities. Filled with hope, we cast our votes.

However, over two years later, that hope remains unfulfilled. President Tinubu, a seasoned politician with experience as Governor of Lagos State and a Senator, should understand the importance of honoring agreements, particularly the re-negotiated 2009 agreement between ASUU and the FGN, submitted by the Yayale Ahmed committee. This agreement is at the heart of the ongoing dispute. “Renewed Hope” should embody a commitment to the Collective Bargaining Principle enshrined in the International Labor Organization (ILO) conventions. It should translate into progress, not excuses. What concrete steps has the government taken since assuming power in 2023 to address the decay in our public universities? Even the much-touted Student Loan Scheme (NELFUND) fails to reach the truly needy. The recently announced loan scheme for tertiary education staff is a band-aid solution. Why does the government resemble the proverb’s foolish man, who leaves his house ablaze to chase a rat fleeing the flames? Furthermore, the government owes university teachers months of withheld salaries. This Tertiary Education Loan Scheme presents a twisted irony: offering a loan to someone you already owe. This project is sheer nonsense, reeking of deception and folly. The Nigerian government has arrogantly betrayed the aspirations of its people, banking on their silence. Even under past military regimes, we haven’t witnessed such a calculated strategy of pretense and deceit.

On August 26, 2025, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) mobilized its members in public universities nationwide, staging rallies and peaceful protests, singing songs of solidarity. These actions were a wake-up call, a reminder of broken campaign promises. Interviews given by the ASUU President, Zonal Coordinators, and Branch Chairpersons consistently highlighted key demands: (1) Re-negotiation of the 2009 ASUU/FGN Agreement; (2) Sustainable funding for universities; (3) Revitalization of the universities; (4) Resolution of the victimization of colleagues in LASU, KSU, and FUTO; (5) Payment of arrears of the 25-35% wage award; (6) Payment of promotion arrears; (7) Remittance of third-party deductions; and (8) Payment of withheld salaries. This is not an exhaustive list.

Since assuming power in 2023, ASUU has exhausted peaceful means of resolving the crisis, including negotiation and dialogue. Sadly, these efforts have yielded no tangible results. Meanwhile, the Minister of Education seems woefully uninformed about the negotiations between ASUU and the FGN. Whether the negotiations predate his appointment or he suffers from a lack of sincerity, the Minister needs a crash course on the ASUU-FGN impasse.

The public knows that all is not well in Nigerian public universities and that strike action looms unless the President intervenes swiftly. This government, like its predecessors, treats Nigerian university teachers with contempt. The vaunted “Renewed Hope” appears as deceit cloaked in official pronouncements.

Dialogue and peaceful protests have fallen on deaf ears. It has become glaringly obvious that the only language the government understands is STRIKE. The government’s silence and unwillingness to resolve the crisis have fueled a renewed spirit of struggle within ASUU. A fake Renewed Hope begets a genuine Renewed Struggle. A government that peddles false promises should not complain when citizens embrace strike action as the only recourse. For ASUU, there is no alternative. Struggles are necessary for survival under a regime built on deceit. ASUU stands for education, for what is right, and for the truth, even if it means standing alone. The FGN will bear the blame if our public universities are shut down. Our elders say, “A woman who brings home ant-infested firewood should not complain when lizards pay her a visit.” It is the government’s social responsibility to provide education for all citizens. Section 18 of the 1999 Constitution and Section 15 of the Child Rights Act are explicit on this point. The Federal Government must rise to its constitutional duty. Nothing less will suffice.

•  Doki Ph.D is a Professor of Comparative Literature at the University of Jos (UNIJOS), Nigeria