ASUU Vows Showdown Over Federal Government's Coventry University Deal
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declared its firm opposition to the Federal Government's initiative to establish a campus of Coventry University, a United Kingdom-based institution, in Nigeria. This stance was articulated by ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, during a public lecture held on Thursday in Bauchi, organized by the Sa’adu Zungur University (SAZU) branch of the union.
Criticism of the Agreement as 'Re-colonisation'
Prof. Piwuna alleged that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, during a recent state visit to the United Kingdom, signed an agreement to facilitate Coventry University's entry into Nigeria. He strongly criticized this move, describing it as an attempt at 're-colonisation' and questioning the logic behind permitting a foreign university to operate within the country. 'This is an attempt to re-colonise us,' Piwuna stated, highlighting concerns about the university's financial health and enrollment trends.
He pointed out that Coventry University reportedly faces a deficit of approximately £58 million and has experienced a 43 per cent decline in African student enrollment. Additionally, the university is implementing cost-cutting measures, including staff reductions, with projections to save about £100 million over the next two years. 'They are now coming to Nigeria to establish a university. They deny our people visas to study abroad, yet they want to come here and take our money. That is unacceptable,' Piwuna emphasized, underscoring the perceived hypocrisy and economic implications of the deal.
ASUU's Opposition and Legal Concerns
Prof. Piwuna declared that ASUU would actively oppose any aspects of the agreement related to education, arguing that it contradicts the government's existing moratorium on the establishment of new universities. 'That agreement will not stand. We are going to oppose it,' he asserted, signaling potential legal and advocacy challenges ahead. This opposition reflects ASUU's ongoing efforts to safeguard national educational sovereignty and address what they view as detrimental foreign influences in Nigeria's higher education sector.
Commendation for Salary Implementation and Focus on Entrepreneurship
During the lecture, Prof. Piwuna also commended the Vice-Chancellor of SAZU, Prof. Fatima Tahir, for successfully implementing the new salary structure for university staff. 'If you continue like this, the day you leave office, we will carry you on our heads,' he remarked, acknowledging the positive step towards improving staff welfare. The event, which focused on academic responsibilities and entrepreneurship among university lecturers, featured insights from Prof. Suleiman Abdullahi Karwai of the Department of Business Administration at Ahmadu Bello University.
Prof. Karwai urged lecturers to invest early in income-generating ventures, advising: 'No lecturer should be poor. There are many legitimate businesses that do not interfere with our primary responsibilities. Buy shares, acquire land, write books, and engage in consultancy.' He noted that lecturers in other regions are already capitalizing on such opportunities and encouraged their counterparts to follow suit, promoting financial independence and entrepreneurial spirit within the academic community.
