UI ASUU Declares: No Going Back on Warning Strike

The chairman of ASUU at the University of Ibadan (UI), Adefemi Afolabi, stated on Tuesday that the two-week nationwide warning strike initiated by the union is non-negotiable.

Mr Afolabi emphasised that union members have adhered to the warning strike.

“We have consistently been included in discussions convened at the national level, and our members have voiced concerns regarding the sluggish pace at which the government is handling the situation. It is important to mention that the federal government received the report from the committee established to assess the findings of the earlier committee formed in 2016.

“The current committee was formed in September 2024 to evaluate the previous committee’s report and submitted its findings in February 2025. This indicates that for eight months, no progress has been made. The union has made numerous attempts to reach out to individuals we believe the government will heed, in addition to our ongoing efforts to expedite the implementation,” he stated.

According to Mr Afolabi, the latest meeting at the national level occurred on September 28, where they resolved to give the government a two-week deadline to sign the draft agreement proposed by the committee.

“If there are no actions taken within the designated timeframe, the warning strike will commence. All of this was clearly communicated to the government, thus prompting the warning strike,” he explained.

He noted that the government’s ‘no work, no pay’ warning is not unprecedented.

“We will manage somehow. We anticipated that the government would take steps to resolve the issue, and they possess both the authority to sign the agreement and the finances to pay university salaries, which is the fundamental concern at hand.

“So why is the government waiting for this warning strike before issuing a ‘no work, no pay’ alert? It’s regrettable that this is the type of reaction we receive from the government. We, as ASUU or any other union, do not wish to see our students outside the university. Our ultimate aim is for them to complete their education promptly and graduate,” he remarked.

He urged the government to take necessary actions to end the cycle of strikes.

Ayobami Lawal, a 300-level student, attributed the warning strike to the government’s shortcomings.

Mr Lawal asserted that lecturers deserve better treatment from the government due to their significant contributions to society.

200-level student Yetunde Adebayo expressed, “Do you have any idea that some of us took a longer time to gain admission? The learning experience would be more enjoyable and efficient if there were no strikes. We need an end to strike actions in the education sector. The government should prioritise our lecturers in the same way they do politicians.”

The federal government has instructed vice-chancellors of federal universities nationwide to strictly enforce the ‘no work, no pay’ policy against lecturers who participate in strikes.

This instruction was documented in a circular dated October 13 and signed by Education Minister Tunji Alausa.

The circular was also sent to the head of the civil service of the federation, the permanent secretary of education, the pro-chancellors of all federal universities, the director-general of the Budget Office of the Federation, the accountant-general of the federation, and the executive secretary of the National Universities Commission.

As stated in the circular, the Federal Ministry of Education expressed its displeasure over reports of ASUU’s ongoing industrial action despite repeated calls for negotiations, emphasising that the government will no longer tolerate non-compliance with existing labour laws.

After a meeting of the National Executive Council, ASUU lamented the ongoing neglect of the university system and the government’s persistent disregard for its requests.

“In addition to engaging with the media, in August 2025, ASUU members from both federal and state universities staged rallies on their campuses, holding placards to urge the government to tackle the ongoing problems within the university system.

“Despite these rallies and appeals, no progress has been made. It is evident that both federal and state governments consistently show little to no concern for the education sector as a whole and the well-being of university academics specifically,” ASUU stated.