A former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Idowu Olayinka, has attributed the recurring strikes in Nigeria’s public universities to the poor remuneration of academic staff.
Olayinka made the assertion while delivering a convocation lecture at the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State.
He said Nigerian university lecturers are among the lowest paid on the African continent, warning that industrial actions by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) would persist unless governments at both federal and state levels address lecturers’ welfare and funding challenges.
According to him, inadequate funding, inefficient service delivery, an ageing academic workforce and decaying infrastructure continue to undermine the Nigerian university system.
Olayinka decried the wage structure of Nigerian academics, noting that it discourages talented young Nigerians from pursuing teaching and research careers.
He called on governments to tackle the root causes of labour disputes by improving staff welfare, recruiting qualified academics through transparent processes and investing more in teaching and research facilities.
He also stressed the need for continuous staff development and effective use of technology in teaching and postgraduate supervision.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of AAUA, Prof. Olugbenga Ige, described the lecture as timely, saying it provided ideas capable of shaping the future of the Nigerian university system.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.
