The ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of the Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi (MOAUM), which commenced on June 1st, 2026, has entered its third week unabated. Many shift the blame squarely on the inefficiencies and underhand dealings by the Governing Council of the state-owned institution.
Strike Coincides with Democracy Day
The ongoing strike unfortunately coincides with Democracy Day. While the abduction of school children across Nigeria clearly shows government ineptitude to secure lives, the nonchalant attitude of the Governing Council of MOAUM regarding the welfare of the university and the silence of the university Visitor raises bigger concerns and questions about the willpower to sustain the gains the university has made, particularly in the last five years, and the lip service by government officials and education policy drivers.
Allegations of Abuse and Mismanagement
While investigations reveal that there might be more unions joining the strike, there are also allegations of abuse of established law books, style of governance, and appropriation of roles and responsibilities of the university management and Senate against the institution’s Council. More worrisome is information that some staff are called from home at late hours or odd hours to appear before councils in a most dehumanized manner that falls below standards of public institutions, as if it were the private business of the chairman of the council—a development that has already triggered calls for his removal in order to save the university.
A senior lecturer in the university told our correspondent on condition of anonymity: “The staff have gradually discovered that the leadership of the Council has been playing mind games with them. It is true that he started powerfully by borrowing money to clear their earned allowances. But the staff have come to realize that all was a façade. Before now, some of us carried out a background check on his person and were shocked to discover that he had issues with ICPC and EFCC regarding TETFUND Contracts. That was when some of us began to watch more carefully.”
Disappointment Among Academics
A professor spoke extensively on his disappointment with his colleagues who are internal members of Council and the Union itself. “Honestly, I wonder why we allowed this man to trick us for this long. Did we not notice when he was having issues with the former VC Prof. Tor Iorapuu? But most of us, in our foolishness and because ab initio we did not want an ‘outsider’ as a VC, we did not pay attention to the fact that the Council was gradually destroying the system. It is clearly an attitudinal and a mentality thing. See where we are? The Council Chairman has taken over the responsibilities of the VC, the Management, and the Senate. He is appointing directors, procurement officers, acting directors, swapping staff from one position to another, suspending staff at will. Which Council does that, and what instrument of power does the Council have to do that without following the law books? Two topical issues on ground are the unilateral appointment of Prof. Ubwa as the Director of CEFTER; unlawful creation of the position of a Director of Research and grant writing without due process; and the interference in the appointment of a deputy vice chancellor.”
Deeper Issues Surface
There are deeper issues. It would seem not only the staff are unsettled; Council members are equally unsettled. It is on the lips of teaching and non-teaching staff that the last physical Council was quite volatile. Some council members may have woken up and expressed dissatisfaction on several issues. One of them was the handling of TETFUND contracts of over 2 billion Naira TETFUND annual allocation, 300 million Naira TETFUND Zonal intervention, 4 billion special Tetfund presidential fund for Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 1 billion Naira TETFUND counterpart fund for PPP, and 1600 bed spaces hostel accommodation.
An administrative staff on account of anonymity recounted that some external members of Council may have realized that they have been taken for granted. According to him, “The lies, the scams, and the real identities of who is who have popped out. Suddenly, some Council members are courageous to voice out.” Probing further, he said, “Some courageous council members are alleging that contracts are awarded without procedures.”
Call for Investigation
Our findings show that one specific matter mentioned was the attempts to twist or cover up abuse of procurement processes under an acting VC. In fact, Council Members want a probe into how Tetfund Library funds were utilized. TETFUND needs to investigate this because its staff was mentioned in connivance with Ubwa. Efforts to get the University Librarian to confirm the information failed.
A visibly angry staff who also spoke on condition of anonymity said, “Nothing is hidden under the sun. In this university, we know and hear about every decision taken in Council, who participates and who sleeps. We can tell you comprehensively that very few members of Council speak. The Chairman decides on anything he wants and they concur. Look, Council Members have information that the former VC, Prof. Tor Iorapuu, had received over 2 billion annual allocation for 2025, 300 million Zonal intervention, and 4 billion Special Presidential fund for the Medical School and 1 billion Naira as counterpart support for PPP students’ hostels. That the former VC made this information available in Council. However, every contract was awarded with speed within months that Prof. Iorapuu was on forced leave. Council Members cannot explain how the decisions to award any contract were arrived at. The only thing Council members know is that the VC who succeeded Professor Iorapuu when he was on leave facilitated through one agricultural company account the sum of 1.7 million Naira to the account of Council Members in December 2025. What is not clear is if internal Members of Council got the same amount with the External Members. Some other staff of the University like the Procurement officer got 800 thousand Naira. Now, here is a curious question: This Acting VC was no longer the acting VC when Prof. Tor Iorapuu handed over. Is it not worrying that he was still involved with the administration to the extent of facilitating funds to Council Members?”
Community Reactions
The conversations regarding the strike are equally in the town. Indigenous contractors are warming up. Information filtering out is that there is sufficient displeasure that all the contractors are from Anambra. For people who are quite familiar with ASUU strikes, they will read the handwriting on the wall and act smartly. ASUU may as well be sending a message to the Visitor that the Council Chairman has no polling unit in Benue. “This is not a threat; it is a statement of fact and a warning. Fr. Alia who today is the Visitor should know better because he was a neighbour of the university. To end this strike, some of the issues raised here are critical. Fr. Alia as the Visitor needs to revisit his illusions. If your expectations have not been met, please act now. You are between truth and survival. Knowledge of the activities and operations of Campus unions is the beginning of wisdom. The truth is before you to unpack.”
