‎AAUA Faces Lecturer Exodus Amid ASUU Strike

‎Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, is facing a lecturer retention challenge as some academic staff have left the institution for other universities amid concerns over welfare and 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 of about some lecturers who had moved to different 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 a total and indefinite strike at AAUA and the Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), Okitipupa, over the failure of the state government 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 based solely on the government’s announcement, insisting that actual implementation of the agreement and payment of outstanding arrears accruing from January remained necessary before lecturers would return to work.

‎He said, “We will call off the strike when we receive 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 position of the branch was guided by the directive of the union’s national body that implementation of the agreement should commence immediately, while 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.”

‎The disclosure has raised concerns about the impact of welfare challenges and prolonged industrial action on the university’s ability to retain academic staff, particularly as lecturers seek institutions they consider to offer better working conditions.

‎The continued industrial action and movement of some lecturers from AAUA have heightened concerns over the effect of welfare issues and prolonged labour disputes on academic activities and staff retention in the state-owned university.