The National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Christopher Piwuna, has reaffirmed the union’s commitment to pursuing university autonomy, academic freedom, and improved working conditions for lecturers across the country.

Speaking on Monday at a reception organised in honour of the immediate past ASUU President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, by the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU) chapter, Piwuna emphasized that strike action remains a legitimate tool available to the union if necessary.

“I will sustain the demand for university autonomy, academic freedom, and other conducive working environments for ASUU members,” he declared, adding, “Strike is a universal tool and not peculiar to Nigeria. It can’t be taken off the table if the government fails to honour its agreements.”

Piwuna, a Professor of Medicine and ASUU’s 14th national president, said the union’s struggle is not only for lecturers but also benefits students and parents. He called on all stakeholders to support ASUU’s ongoing efforts to defend public universities.

Also speaking, the Chairperson of ASUU MOUAU branch, Dr. Chike Ugwuene, praised Prof. Osodeke for his dedication during his tenure and noted that the union now enjoys a cordial relationship with the university’s management. “But if anything goes wrong, we won’t hesitate to ask for our rights,” she said.

Representing the university’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Maduebibisi Iwe, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics), Professor Nneoma Obasi, commended Osodeke for his resilience and national service. “MOUAU stood by you through the sleepless nights of negotiations,” she said.

In his remarks, Prof. Osodeke reflected on the challenges faced during his leadership, especially under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari and former Labour Minister, Chris Ngige, whom he blamed for creating “confusion” in the education sector.

He attributed the mass departure of Nigerian academics to poor treatment of lecturers. “The exodus of scholars to the U.S., Europe, and Saudi Arabia is directly linked to the lack of value placed on university teachers,” he noted.

Despite the challenges, Osodeke highlighted key achievements, including the removal of universities from the IPPIS platform and improved retirement benefits for professors. “Our fight prevented public universities from collapsing like Nigerian Airways or refineries,” he said.