The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) chapter, on Tuesday joined its counterpart across the country to protest against the federal government’s failure to implement the renegotiated 2009 agreement.

The ASUU-OAU Chairman, Anthony Odiwe, led members of the union in a peaceful protest on the main campus, singing solidarity songs.

The lecturers carried placards with inscriptions such as “We Say No To Loans,” “Pay Our Retirees,” and “Lecturers Are Not Slaves” among others.

The peaceful protest drew the attention of students and passers-by on campus.

Addressing journalists, Mr Odiwe accused the federal government of neglecting the education sector and showing a lackadaisical attitude towards the welfare of academic staff.

He said that despite repeated promises, the federal government had failed to implement the renegotiated 2009 ASUU/FGN Agreement.

Mr Odiwe alleged that the federal government also failed to pay the three and a half months of withheld salaries of members, release sustainable funding for universities, and revitalise universities, among other things.

According to him, the present administration has continued to employ delay tactics, even after receiving the Yayale Ahmed report on the renegotiated agreement in February 2025.

Mr Odiwe said that the union had written several letters, explored various strategies of engagement, and drawn attention to the issues affecting federal government universities without any tangible results.

He insisted that unless the government takes concrete steps to address the outstanding issues before the union’s next National Executive Council meeting scheduled for August 28, it would be left with no other option but to embark on fresh industrial action.

Mr Odiwe called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, student bodies, and the National Assembly to intervene and prevail on the government to act swiftly to avert another disruption of academic activities nationwide. 

(NAN)