ASUU Strike Begins Monday: Lecturers Hit Brakes on Classes Nationwide

By: Abudu Olalekan

ASUU members protest

Imagine it. Monday dawn. Campuses silent. No bustling hostels. No frantic note-taking. Just empty lecture halls. ASUU’s doing it again. Two-week warning strike. Bam. Starts tomorrow. Ultimatum? Expired last night. Federal Government? Crickets. Zero public word.

Branches primed. Mobilization underway. University of Jos? Check. Ahmadu Bello Uni? Yep. Uni Abuja? Locked and loaded. Our reporter sniffed it out. ASUU leaders huddled there. Rallying support. Strike fever high.

Wednesday in Abuja. Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa paints hope. Final talks phase. With ASUU. Other unions. Welfare. Funding. That dusty 2009 Agreement. Tinubu’s crew released N50bn. Earned Allowances paid. N150bn in 2025 budget. Needs assessment. Three tranches.

“Lecturers deserve good pay,” he says formal-like. “Academic, non-academic staff too. Improved welfare. But can’t drop everything now. Sincerity counts. Commitment to real change.”

Promotion arrears? Sorted. Other allowances, teaching awards? Done. Rest by 2026. Peace pledge. “Bear with us,” he pleads. Dialogue over disruption. Solicitor-General in the mix. Justice Ministry too. First time. Legal teeth to agreements.

But ASUU President Prof. Chris Piwuna? Fire. Ministry’s chronic delays. “Ultimatum ends Sunday. Warning strike follows. Unless government drops something big. Next 48 hours? Clock ticking.”

“Then we ask members: Enough to pause? We’ll obey them.” Casual edge there. Frustration boils.

Standoff vibes. Negotiations dragged. Despite progress claims. Students groan. Tertiary institutions grind halt. Again.

Sources whisper. Uni Jos ASUU met union heads. Support locked. Similar scenes nationwide. Ministry spokesperson Folasade Boriowo? Phone rings. Declines comment. Stone wall.

This ain’t new. ASUU vs FG. Epic saga. 2009 Agreement ghosts ’em. Funding shortfalls. IPPIS pains. Welfare woes. Strikes pile up. Semesters lost. Graduates delayed.

Alausa’s optimism? Genuine? Or stall tactic? Piwuna doubts. “Habitual delays.” Members fed up. Grassroots roar.

What now? Strike bites. Two weeks warning. Could stretch. Exams? Halted. Research? Paused. Economy feels it. Parents fume.

Government blink? Or unions fold? Nigerians watch. Education’s lifeline. Can’t afford more blackouts.

ASUU urges sincerity. FG appeals patience. Middle? Chaos.

Hey students. Brace. Lecturers. Hold firm. Nigeria. Fix this mess.