As the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) embarks on yet another nationwide strike, former presidential candidate and education advocate, Professor Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies, has issued a passionate call to the Federal Government to take immediate and decisive steps to address the long-standing crisis plaguing Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.

In a strongly worded statement titled “A Call to Action: Prioritizing Education and Professorial Welfare in Nigeria”, Adesanya-Davies decried the abysmal conditions under which Nigerian university professors work, describing their current remuneration as “unconscionably low” and “a national embarrassment.”

Stark Salary Disparity Across Africa

Highlighting the deep salary gap between Nigerian professors and their counterparts in other African nations, she pointed to recent figures showing monthly earnings of university professors across five leading African countries:

South Africa: ₦6.99 million

Uganda: ₦6.15 million

Kenya: ₦5.84 million

Eswatini: ₦5.03 million

Equatorial Guinea: ₦4.36 million

Nigeria: ₦535,000

“These numbers speak volumes. It is not only demoralizing but deeply unjust that Nigerian professors — in Africa’s largest economy — are paid among the lowest,” she said. “How can we expect world-class education from professionals who can barely sustain themselves?”

Professorial Pay Parity with Judges

Adesanya-Davies also advocated for parity in remuneration between university professors and judges, arguing that both roles are critical pillars in the development and governance of society.

“Professors shape the minds that shape the nation. Like judges, they are custodians of national integrity. It is only fair and logical that they be paid accordingly,” she asserted.

Beyond Salaries: A System in Decline

While poor wages remain a key trigger for the current ASUU strike, the professor noted that the rot in the education sector runs deeper. She cited issues such as deteriorating infrastructure, lack of research funding, and declining morale among academic staff as urgent concerns requiring national attention.

“Our universities are hemorrhaging talent. With poor pay and working conditions, we’re losing brilliant minds to other sectors and other countries. Many of those who remain are forced into multiple jobs just to survive. The quality of education suffers, and ultimately, so does the future of our nation.”

A Call for Dialogue and Innovation

Calling on the Federal Government to open meaningful and respectful dialogue with ASUU, Adesanya-Davies warned against dismissing the strike as merely another union protest.

“This strike is not just about salaries — it’s about the soul of our education system. It’s about whether Nigeria is serious about producing skilled, enlightened, and globally competitive citizens.”

She urged government officials to adopt innovative approaches to education funding and called for a national summit that brings together stakeholders from government, academia, the private sector, and civil society to develop sustainable reforms.

A Call to Action, Not Just Concern

In her concluding remarks, the former presidential candidate stressed the urgency of action:

“Education is the bedrock of any nation. If we fail to prioritize our professors today, we mortgage the future of generations to come. This is not just ASUU’s fight — this is Nigeria’s fight.”

Adesanya-Davies appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the relevant education authorities to “do the right thing” and commit to long-overdue structural reforms.

AlutaContinua

Ending with the rallying cry of the Nigerian student movement — #AlutaContinua — Professor Adesanya-Davies emphasized solidarity with the striking lecturers and called on all Nigerians to recognize the urgent need to rescue the nation’s crumbling education system.