The immediate past President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Victor Emmanuel Osodeke, was honoured at a grand reception in his alma mater, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), where university leaders and unionists converged to celebrate his impactful leadership and reflect on the future of university education in Nigeria.
While acknowledging ASUU’s role in resisting policies that threatened Nigeria’s public universities, key voices at the event emphasized the need for the union to evolve from confrontation to active nation-building.
Chairman of the MOUAU Governing Council, Comrade Fidelis Edeh, lauded ASUU’s historic contribution to securing university autonomy—estimated at nearly 80%—but urged the union to move into a new era of constructive engagement, policy participation, and institutional accountability.
> “We must now shift from struggle to strategy. ASUU should no longer stay at the sidelines. It must participate actively in national policy formulation and help shape the Nigeria we all desire,” Edeh stated.
He also regretted ASUU’s non-involvement in the drafting of the 1999 Constitution, noting it as a critical oversight that weakened the academic sector’s political influence.
In his speech, Prof. Osodeke recounted the turbulent years under former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, stressing that ASUU’s firmness prevented public universities from descending into crisis.
> “Our resilience saved the university system from total collapse. Unlike other failed public institutions, our universities are still standing today because ASUU refused to give up,” Osodeke said.
He criticized the government’s neglect of lecturers’ welfare, linking it to the rising wave of academic brain drain. Osodeke highlighted the union’s push to exit the IPPIS platform as a major achievement, restoring dignity to the teaching profession by allowing professors to retire with their full entitlements.
Professor Chris Piwuna, current ASUU President, pledged to continue the struggle for quality education, staff welfare, and university autonomy. While affirming that strike action remains a last resort, he noted it cannot be taken off the table.
> “Strikes are global tools for advocacy. We hope dialogue will prevail, but we will not hesitate to take lawful steps when necessary,” Piwuna said.
Also speaking, MOUAU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, represented by Prof. Nneoma Obasi, described Osodeke’s leadership as “historic,” praising his role in maintaining harmony between ASUU and university management.
ASUU MOUAU Branch Chair, Prof. Chike Ugwuene, celebrated Osodeke’s selfless contributions, describing him as a national asset who inspired unity and focus within the union.
The ceremony drew ASUU leaders from across the country and became a platform not just for celebration, but also for introspection and a renewed call to action—anchored on the belief that academics must help build the nation they once fought to save.
