Many Lecturers Quit Ondo Varsity Over Poor Welfare

Fresh facts have emerged that many lecturers at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, have left the ivory tower for other universities over poor conditions of service amid the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The development was confirmed by the chairman of ASUU, AAUA branch, Prof. Boluwaji Oshodi, who said he was aware that some lecturers had moved to other universities.

Oshodi disclosed this while speaking on the ongoing industrial action and the recent decision of the Ondo State government to increase the monthly subvention to state-owned tertiary institutions by 60 per cent and approve the implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement.

ASUU had declared an indefinite strike at AAUA and the Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), Okitipupa, over the state government’s failure to implement the 2025 agreement.

The development came barely a week after the AAUA chapter suspended an earlier strike over unpaid salary backlogs following the payment of the outstanding salaries.‎

‎However, Oshodi said the union would not suspend the latest strike solely on the Government’s announcement, insisting that the actual implementation of the agreement and payment of outstanding arrears accruing from January were necessary before lecturers would return to work.

‎He said, “We will call off the strike when we receive an alert in our bank accounts. Alert of the implementation and the arrears starting from January, that is when we will suspend the strike.”

‎The ASUU chairman explained that the branch’s position was guided by the directive of the union’s national body that implementation of the agreement should commence immediately, and that arrears owed to workers from January should also be paid.

‎He said, “The issue now is that the mandate from the national body is that the implementation should commence immediately and the arrears from January should be paid.”

‎On the movement of lecturers from AAUA, Oshodi said leaving the institution was a personal decision by individual lecturers who felt they were not receiving adequate welfare benefits.

‎”Leaving the system is a personal decision. So, if some lecturers feel they are not getting the level of satisfaction they deserve in terms of welfare and other benefits, they can choose to move to another system,” he said.

‎Oshodi added, “To some extent, that is true, because I know about three or four people who have moved to different universities.”