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The Academic Staff Union of Universities has lamented that the current state of Nigeria is worse than it was 40 years ago, attributing the decline to corruption and poor governance.
ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, made the remarks during the 2024 Edition of the ASUU State of the Nation Conference held in Abuja on Thursday.
Tagged “Nigeria in a State of General Crisis: The Search for a New Path to Development,” the conference aimed to highlight the country’s challenges and proffer solutions for a way forward.
Osodeke criticised the President Bola Tinubu administration’s “Renewed Hope” mantra, stating that the country had instead been plunged into a “hopeless state” due to the actions of corrupt leaders and foreign exploitation.
“It is sad to note that the situation is worse off today when compared to 1984,” Osodeke said.
He added that the existing governance system, which he described as foreign-controlled and serving only the interests of a few, needed to be overhauled to prioritise the well-being of the general populace.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s 64th Independence Anniversary, the ASUU President emphasised that the country’s wealth was being mismanaged, leaving citizens in poverty.
“Nigeria is too rich for Nigerians to languish in excruciating poverty,” he stated, calling for the country’s resources to be used for the collective good.
He recalled that ASUU was formed from the National Association of University Teachers in 1978, adding that the objectives of the union extend beyond advocating for the conditions of service and welfare of its members to include the “protection and advancement of the socio-economic and cultural interests of the nation.”
He stated that it was in pursuit of these objectives that ASUU has, over the years, been organising periodic national conferences to generate ideas on how to establish a governance system that would cater to the interests of the Nigerian people.
“I believe that with the selected speakers and participants, we should be able to generate outcomes that will rescue Nigeria from the stronghold of foreign intruders and imperialist exploiters,” he said.
He continued: “The first of the Academic Staff Union of Universities’ State of the Nation Conferences was held in April 1984 at the University of Benin, Benin City, with the theme: ‘The State of the Nigerian Economy.’
“The conference took place at a time of grave economic crises, which were characterized by chronic shortages of essential goods and services, the collapse of infrastructure and services, grand corruption, mass unemployment, high inflation rates, and more.
“The 1984 ASUU National Conference identified the following as the roots of these crises: the incorporation of Nigeria into the international capitalist system by the colonial imperialists; Nigeria’s dependent and weak position within a declining and crisis-ridden world capitalist system; and the exploitation and control of Nigeria’s resources by foreign firms.
“Additionally, the presence of a local petty and comprador exploiting class, whose members aid the foreign firms in plundering Nigeria’s wealth and transferring it abroad; government repression and oppression of Nigerian workers through decrees, policies, and suffocating taxation without representation; and widespread stealing by foreign and national contractors, politicians, bureaucrats, middlemen, distributors, and agents who do not contribute to production.”
“As the nation celebrates its 64th anniversary and reflects on the past, it is sad to note that the situation is worse today compared to 1984,” he concluded.
He emphasized that if the government had implemented the resolutions from the 1984 conference, today’s situation could have been averted.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, who was represented at the event, acknowledged the critical role being played by ASUU in shaping Nigeria’s educational landscape and advocating for policies that promote academic excellence and social equity.
He stated that through its relentless campaigns for improved funding for universities, better working conditions for academic staff, and enhanced welfare for students, ASUU has not only championed the cause of educators but has also laid the foundation for sustainable national development.
