November 14, (THEWILL) — A time has come when silence in the face of the deceit of the present Nigerian government is tantamount to collusion with social evil.
The government’s façade of normality, chronic economic mismanagement—removal of fuel subsidy and a huge penchant for borrowing—its claims of waging war against terrorism, its announcements of fantastic growth figures while the economy deteriorates, and other poisonous, divisive flattery have fueled a series of tragedies in the country.
We are confronted with citizens burying their loved ones due to avoidable acts of terrorism. Politicians goose-step on a red carpet of blood at political rallies and official ceremonies.
We see a government that openly despises its intellectuals and revels in the systematic decimation of its youth. We live in a country that fails to recognize children as the world’s most valuable resource and its best hope for the future. Universities have become targets of the government’s animosity, among other ills. But let me pluck the fruit of my story.
On October 13, 2025, the Academic Staff of Universities (ASUU) commenced a two-week warning strike after all attempts to persuade the Federal Government to honor the union’s eight core demands failed.
The very day the strike was declared, Nigeria’s Education Minister embarked on a series of unconscionable falsehoods. First, he claimed the Federal Government had no agreement whatsoever with ASUU, only to later declare that all ASUU demands had been met and there was no need for a strike.
Shortly after, invoking the “No Work, No Pay” rule, he directed all Vice-Chancellors to open registers for academic staff to sign as evidence that they were not on strike. Observers and analysts were horrified by such shameless revisionism, dictatorship, denial of truth, and unpatriotic divisiveness.
Amid this chaos, the Federal Government’s Negotiating Team and some well-meaning Senators waded into the crisis. The negotiators initially showed commitment, holding a series of meetings with ASUU in October.
For the first time in a long while, the FGN appeared to show some level of concern for ASUU’s demands, raising hopes. Most importantly, they pleaded that ASUU suspend the two-week warning strike to allow room for further negotiation.
In the spirit of patriotism, goodwill, and love for Nigerian children, ASUU suspended the warning strike on October 22, 2025. However, this suspension came with a caveat: if the FGN fails to honor its part of the bargain within one month, ASUU will resume the strike without further notice.
As of this writing, the one-month ultimatum has only seven days remaining, yet the government has shown nothing—except motion without movement, or, in other words, another attempt to flog a dead horse.
ASUU’s eight core demands are: the conclusion of the re-negotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement; the release of withheld three-and-a-half months’ salaries; sustainable funding of public universities; revitalization of public universities; cessation of victimization of ASUU members in LASU, Kogi State University, and FUTO; payment of outstanding 25–35% salary arrears; payment of promotion arrears; and the release of withheld third-party deductions.
What has happened since then? Clearly, mischief, deceit, and contradiction reign. We have a Minister of Education who says one thing in the morning and its opposite by evening.
For instance, he recently announced that 2.3 billion Naira had been released to cover promotion and arrears for university teachers. Hours later, he declared that all ASUU demands had been met, yet also stated he was still at the negotiating table with ASUU.
These antics reek of hypocrisy, deceit, and outright bunkum. How can the FGN claim to have satisfied all ASUU demands while simultaneously negotiating with the same union? Has the Minister become a megaphone of lies—or acquired a dog’s talent for eating vomit? What is evident is that the Education Minister’s statements are malicious, mischievous, and a deliberate attempt to blackmail ASUU.
The public must take note. Could the Minister be more explicit and honest? The claimed 2.3 billion Naira is grossly inadequate and, worse, yet to reach any Nigerian university.
What of ASUU’s other demands—the 25–35% wage increase due from January 2023 to December 2024? What of the 2009 re-negotiated agreement, central to the crisis? University teachers’ salaries were last reviewed sixteen years ago. Shameful. For years, the FGN has treated ASUU monstrously. Is it a crime to be a university teacher? Why does the political class seek to impoverish them?
In conclusion, the Nigerian government has deliberately underfunded the education sector, accounting for the rot in the system and the unending ASUU-FGN conflict.
Put bluntly, the FGN has consistently pushed ASUU toward avoidable strike actions, only to seize salaries and portray the union as intransigent and insensitive. It is time for parents, teachers, students, and stakeholders to hold the FGN accountable.
As the proverb warns: if you must blame the hawk for wickedness, first blame the mother hen for exposing her chicks to danger. In other words, if ASUU strikes again in the coming days, the blame rests squarely with the Federal Government.
Jeff Godwin Doki is a writer, public analyst, conflict manager, and Professor of Comparative Literature at the University of Jos, Nigeria.
