Dr Joseph Otuagoma urges the Federal Government to honour its ASUU deal, warning that neglecting education risks deepening Nigeria’s academic crisis
Dr Joseph Otuagoma has called on the Federal Government to honour its agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities, warning that failure to do so could plunge Nigeria’s higher education into deeper crisis.
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Speaking to reporters in Lagos, the educationist described the frequent ASUU strikes as a “national tragedy” that continues to erode confidence in the country’s public universities.
“In Nigeria, if a university doesn’t go on strike for a year, people are shocked,” Dr Joseph Otuagoma lamented. “A course meant to last four years can easily stretch to six or seven.”
He explained that beyond disrupting academic calendars, the strikes harm students’ mental health and long-term prospects.
“When students are idle for months, many fall into depression or become vulnerable to negative influences,” he said.
The call comes shortly after ASUU suspended its two-week warning strike, following renewed commitments from the Federal Government and the National Assembly to address the union’s longstanding demands.
Otuagoma urged the government to stop making promises it cannot keep, insisting that only sincerity and consistency can end the recurring cycle of industrial action.
“Government must keep to the agreements it signs. Each time ASUU threatens to strike, the government makes new promises, knowing they won’t keep them. That cycle must end,” he stressed.
The educationist also decried the chronic underfunding of public universities, urging greater investment in laboratories, libraries, and digital learning spaces.
“There are students studying computer science who have never touched a computer. How can that produce quality graduates?” he asked.
While acknowledging the role of private schools in filling gaps, Dr Joseph Otuagoma maintained that the government cannot abdicate its responsibility.
“Private schools have come to stay in Nigeria. Even those who dislike it cannot change that fact, because government funding for education is simply not enough,” he said.
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He warned that neglecting education would continue to undermine national progress. “No nation can rise above the quality of its education system. If we invest in teachers, infrastructure, and innovation, the results will speak for themselves,” Otuagoma concluded.
