ASUU has once again voiced its disapproval of the newly constituted governing councils for federal universities in Nigeria.
Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, ASUU’s national president, expressed concern in a recent interview with the Nigerian Tribune, criticizing the dominance of retired politicians in the council appointments rather than experts in academia or related fields.
According to Prof Osodeke, the composition of the councils reflects a troubling trend that fails to prioritize the strategic needs of higher education institutions. He lamented, “Most of them are retired politicians. They are honourable this and honourable that,” indicating his disappointment with the suitability of such appointments.
Furthermore, Prof Osodeke criticized the new list as being worse than its predecessor, suggesting a regression in appointment policies rather than progress. He emphasized that many of the appointees are retired politicians, describing the situation as “terrible.”
ASUU also raised procedural concerns, arguing that the formation of the new councils may have been illegal. The Federal Government dissolved the previous councils over ten months before their tenures expired, contrary to University Act stipulations. ASUU contended that allowing the previous councils to complete their terms would have been more appropriate than assembling a new council, which they believe disregards legal frameworks.
The union stressed the importance of insulating university education from partisan politics for Nigeria to achieve genuine educational development and economic prosperity. Prof Osodeke concluded by urging a reconsideration of how university councils are formed, stating, “We can’t run our universities like this if we truly want genuine development to take place.”
