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Academic Staff Union of Universities

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Academic Staff Union of Universities
AbbreviationASUU
Formation1978
TypeTrade union
HeadquartersUniversity of Abuja
Location
MembershipAcademic Staff of Nigerian Universities
Official language
English
National President
Professor Victor Emmanuel Osodeke
AffiliationsNigeria Labour Congress (NLC)

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is a Nigerian union of university academic staff, founded in 1978. ASUU is an offshoot of the Nigerian Association of University Teachers (NAUT) which was established in 1965. At that time, NAUT consisted of only five universities in total including University of Ibadan, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, University of Ife and University of Lagos.[1]

Foundation

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As a successor to the Nigerian Association of University Teachers that was founded in 1965, ASUU was formed in 1978 to cater for the interests of all academic staff in Federal and State universities in Nigeria.[2]

Leadership of ASUU

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Professor Osodeke, a professor of Soil Science, at the Federal University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, was elected on 30 May 2021 during a three-day conference of the union which held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State.[3]

He took over from Biodun Ogunyemi, a professor of education at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State.

ASUU Presidents

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The union has had 11 presidents since its founding in 1978.

President Start End
Prof. I.O. Agbede 1977 1978
Dr. B.A. Ogundimu 1979 1980
Prof. Biodun Jeyifo 1980 1982
Dr. Mahmud Modibbo Tukur 1982 1986
Prof. Festus Iyayi 1987 1990
Prof. Attahiru Mohammed Jega 1990 1994
Prof. Assissi Asobie 1994 2000
Dr. Dipo Fashina 2000 2004
Dr. Abdullahi Sule-Kano 2004 2008
Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie 2008 2012
Dr. Nasir Isa Fagge 2012 2016
Prof Biodun Ogunyemi 2016 2021
Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke 2021 present

ASUU strikes

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Military regime

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The Union was active in struggles against the military regime during the 1980s.[4] In 1988 the union organized a National Strike to obtain fair wages and university autonomy. As a result, the ASUU was proscribed on 7 August 1988 and all its property seized. It was allowed to resume in 1990, but after another strike was again banned on 23 August 1992. However, an agreement was reached on 3 September 1992 that met several of the union's demands including the right of workers to collective bargaining. The ASUU organized further strikes in 1994 and 1996, protesting against the dismissal of staff by the Sani Abacha military regime.[4]

Fourth Republic

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After the return to democracy in 1999 with the Nigerian Fourth Republic, the union continued to be firm in demanding the rights of university workers against opposition by the government of President Olusegun Obasanjo.[4] In July 2002 Dr. Oladipo Fashina, the then national president of the union, petitioned Justice Mustapha Akanbi of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission to investigate the authorities of the University of Ilorin for financial mismanagement and corruption.[5]

2007-2013 strikes

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In 2007, the ASUU went on strike for three months.[6] In May 2008, embarked on a two one-week "warning strike" to press a range of demands, including an improved salary scheme and reinstatement of 49 lecturers who were dismissed many years earlier.[7] In June 2009, ASUU ordered its members in federal and state universities nationwide to proceed on an indefinite strike over disagreements with the Federal Government on an agreement it reached with the union about two and a half years earlier.[8] After three months of strikes, in October 2009, the union and other staff unions signed a memorandum of understanding with the government and called off the industrial action.[9] On 1 July 2013, ASUU embarked on another strike which lasted 5 months and 15 days was called off on 16 December 2013.[10] Claims made by ASUU in regards to the strike are centered largely on funding and revitalization of Nigerian public universities as well as a certain earned allowance which it claims to be an arrears of 92 billion naira. Some Nigerian students said that the strike was a curse to them while others said it was a blessing before the ASUU strike was called.[4]

2022 strike

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In 2022, ASUU declared a one-month strike, beginning 14 February 2022.[11] Some of the lecturers' demands included the revitalisation of public universities, earned allowances, improved funding of state universities and payment of promotion arrears.[11] On 7 March 2022, Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu inaugurated a committee to renegotiate the 2009 agreement with ASUU.[12] The seven-man panel had Prof. Emeritus Nimi Briggs as chairman.[12] On 14 March, ASUU extended the strike by 8 more weeks.[13] The Federal Government eventually met ASUU on 11 April 2022, exactly 56 days since the commencement of the strike.[14] On 9 May, ASUU extended the strike by additional 12 weeks,[15] and the strike reached six months without resolution, making it one of the longest ASUU strikes in history.[16] On 1 August 2022, ASUU extended the strike by another four weeks.[17] The FG met ASUU on 16 August 2022, to continue negotiations, with ASUU promising to suspend the strike if its demands were met,[18] but the meeting ended in deadlock.[19] ASUU subsequently said it would begin consultation on the next line of action.[20] ASUU local chapters at ABU, BUK, UDUS, OAU voted for continuation and declaration of an indefinite strike in response to government's offer.[21][22][23] State universities such as Benue State University, TASUED, Adekunle Ajasin University, Kano State University of Technology have also insisted on prosecuting the strike to its logical conclusion.[24]

After 234 days (33 weeks) of strike action by ASUU, the Federal Government of Nigeria on Thursday, 5 October 2022 announced the formation of two new academic unions - the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) and the Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA).[25][26][27] ASUU eventually called off the 8-month strike on 14 October 2022.[28][29][30]

ASUU strike chart (1999–2022)

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ASUU Strike
s/n Year Duration
1 1999 5 months
2 2001 3 months
3 2002 2 weeks
4 2003 6 months
5 2005 2 weeks
6 2006 3 days
7 2007 3 months
8 2008 1 weeks
9 2009 4 months
10 2010 5 months
11 2011 59 days
12 2013 5 months
13 2017 1 month
14 2018 3 months[31]
15 2020 9 months
16 2022 14 February 2022 – 14 October 2022 (8 months) [1]

Origin of incessant strikes

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The union has repeatedly maintained that the strikes are a response to the Nigerian government's "insincerity" and perennial refusal to uphold agreement signed with ASUU.[32]

Impact of strikes on students

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While the association continues to claim that it is involved in a struggle for Nigerian tertiary education and Nigerian students by extension, many Nigerians perceive the supposed struggle, marked by incessant strike actions, to be malicious and self serving. This image has not been helped by ASUU, who still cannot communicate effectively with the Nigerian populace without sounding arrogant and condescending.[33]

References

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  1. ^ "HISTORY AND STRUGGLES OF ASUU". asuunigeria.org. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  2. ^ NOCK-Admin. "ASUU IS A TRADE UNION ORGANIZATION IN LINE WITH GLOBAL BEST PRACTICE – NLC". Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  3. ^ Alabi, Mojeed (30 May 2021). "ASUU elects new president". Premium Times Nigeria. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d "HISTORY AND STRUGGLES OF ASUU". Academic Staff Union of Universities. Archived from the original on 10 December 2018. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  5. ^ Sina Babasola (23 July 2002). "ASUU Drags University of Ilorin Authorities to Anti-Graft Commission". Vanguard (Nigeria). Retrieved 20 July 2011.
  6. ^ "ASUU Suspends Strike". My Naija News. 3 July 2007. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  7. ^ Tunde Fatunde (25 May 2008). "NIGERIA: Academic union threatens indefinite strike". University World News. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  8. ^ "Academic Staff Union of Universities begins indefinite strike". Nigeria Exchange. 23 June 2009. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  9. ^ Tunde Fatunde (1 November 2009). "NIGERIA: Universities reopen after strike". University World News. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  10. ^ "At last, ASUU suspends strike". News agency. Vanguard Nigeria. 17 December 2013. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  11. ^ a b "ASUU embarks on one-month warning strike". Dateline Nigeria. 14 February 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  12. ^ a b "Committee to renegotiate 2009 agreement with ASUU for inauguration today". Dateline Nigeria. 7 March 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  13. ^ "ASUU: Strike to continue for 8 more weeks". Dateline Nigeria. 14 March 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  14. ^ "After 56 Days Of Strike, FG Set To Meet ASUU Today". The Nigerian Lawyer. 11 April 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  15. ^ "ASUU extends strike by 12 weeks". Dateline Nigeria. 9 May 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  16. ^ "ASUU strike enters sixth month as FG declares no agreement". Dateline Nigeria. 14 July 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  17. ^ "ASUU extends strike by another 4 weeks". Dateline Nigeria. 1 August 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  18. ^ "We'll suspend strike if UTAS agreement is signed with FG today". Guardian Nigeria. 16 August 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  19. ^ "ASUU strike to continue as meeting with FG ends in deadlock". Dateline Nigeria. 16 August 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  20. ^ "Strike: ASUU begins consultations on next move". Dateline Nigeria. 18 August 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  21. ^ "OAU-ASUU votes for indefinite strike". Dateline Nigeria. 24 August 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  22. ^ "ABU-ASUU votes for continuation of strike". Dateline Nigeria. 23 August 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  23. ^ "BUK-ASUU: Hold FG responsible for unnecessarily prolonging strike". Dateline Nigeria. 23 August 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  24. ^ "Strike: No end in sight, state varsities insist". Punch Newspaper. 25 August 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  25. ^ "What we will do differently - ASUU faction, CONUA". Punch Newspapers. 5 October 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  26. ^ FG Breaks ASUU's Rank, Registers Two Academic Unions, retrieved 5 October 2022
  27. ^ "Strike: FG weakens ASUU, registers rival union". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 5 October 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  28. ^ "Nigeria's university lecturers end eight-month strike". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  29. ^ olufemiajasa (14 October 2022). "ASUU finally ends 8-month-old strike". Vanguard News. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  30. ^ "Universities to resume as ASUU suspends eight-month strike". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 14 October 2022. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  31. ^ "All the times ASUU has gone on strike since 1999". 5 November 2018.
  32. ^ THEWILL, Ladi Dapson (23 June 2024). "ASUU Accuses FG Of Insincerity, Deception, Threatens Strike". Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  33. ^ ADAVBIELE, J. A. "Implications of Incessant Strike Actions on the Implementation of Technical Education Programme in Nigeria" (PDF). Journal of Education and Practice. 6 (8). ISSN 2222-288X.
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