The 2009 ASUU Agreement: A mirror of government failure, by Dr. Tukur Madu Yemi
When the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) signed the 2009 Agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), it was heralded as a landmark commitment to reposition higher education in the country. The agreement was designed to address chronic underfunding, deteriorating infrastructure, poor staff welfare, and the urgent need to raise the standard of Nigerian universities to a level comparable with global best practices.
Fifteen years later, however, the reality remains grim. The promises embedded in that agreement have largely been ignored, and the Nigerian university system continues to face systemic decline. What was meant to be a turning point has instead become a mirror reflecting the government’s inconsistency, insincerity, and failure to prioritise education.
A Broken Promise, A Betrayed Generation
The 2009 Agreement was not a casual document. It was a solemn pact—a recognition that no nation can achieve sustainable development without deliberate investment in education. Yet, successive administrations have reduced it to a symbolic gesture, abandoning its implementation in favour of political expediency and reckless spending.
The direct victims of this neglect are Nigerian students and their families:
A four-year course often extends to six or seven years due to incessant strikes.
Parents bear mounting financial and emotional burdens.
Thousands of students and lecturers migrate abroad, enriching foreign universities at the expense of Nigeria’s intellectual capital.
This cycle has not only weakened the credibility of Nigerian universities but has also diminished the faith of young people in the country’s future.
The Underlying Problem: Nigeria’s Low Valuation of Education
The perennial excuse advanced by government officials is the lack of funds. Yet, the same government consistently finds resources to finance elections, sustain bloated political appointments, maintain luxurious convoys, and support unproductive allowances. This contradiction exposes a painful truth: Nigeria as a state has failed to prioritize education.
A nation that treats education as expendable cannot build strong institutions, foster innovation, or compete globally. Instead, it will continue to import professionals from other countries while its own citizens languish in poorly funded institutions.
My Position to the Federal Government
1. Education Is an Investment, Not a Cost
Public universities must not be seen as a financial liability. They are the intellectual backbone of national development. Implementing the 2009 ASUU Agreement is not charity; it is a necessary investment in Nigeria’s survival and competitiveness.
2. Break the Endless Cycle of Strikes and Broken Promises
Government must end the culture of dishonoured agreements. Each broken promise inflicts irreparable damage on students, families, and the credibility of the education system. Implement the 2009 Agreement fully instead of signing new ones destined for neglect.
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3. Restore Confidence in Public Universities
No country advances when its leaders desert the very institutions they were elected to strengthen. Nigerian political leaders must demonstrate faith in public universities by ensuring that they are capable of training their own children and providing quality research outputs for national development.
4. Recognise ASUU as a Partner in Progress
ASUU’s agitations are not borne out of hostility but from a sense of duty to protect the integrity of Nigerian universities. Government must engage ASUU as a constructive partner, not as an adversary. Dialogue must be rooted in sincerity, respect, and concrete action.
Conclusion
The 2009 ASUU Agreement represents more than a document it is a litmus test of government’s sincerity and accountability. For over a decade, successive administrations have failed this test, with dire consequences for Nigeria’s intellectual future.
This failure is not just about ASUU; it is about Nigeria itself. A nation that abandons its universities abandons its future. If the Federal Government continues on this path of neglect, the cycle of wasted years, wasted talents, and wasted futures will persist.
The time to honour commitments and restore dignity to Nigerian universities is now. Anything less is a betrayal of the next generation.
Dr. Tukur Madu Yemi writes from Federal University of Kashere, Gombe State.
Email: alhajitukur68@gmail.com
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