A renewed push for quality education and better working conditions took centre stage at the 2025 ASUU Day celebration held on Thursday at the Governor Peter Mbah Auditorium, Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Agbani. The gathering brought together academics, union leaders and invited guests to reflect on the state of university education and the welfare of lecturers in Nigeria.

Acting Chairperson of the ESUT branch, Comrade Andrew Apeh, urged members to remain committed to teaching, research and community service—pillars he described as essential to national growth. He encouraged academics to uphold excellence despite mounting challenges, stressing the importance of unity in the union’s ongoing welfare advocacy.

Apeh voiced strong concern over what he called a widening disparity in salaries between ESUT staff and their colleagues in other universities. He noted that academic staff in the institution have earned significantly less for nearly a year, a situation he said has eroded their purchasing power and undermined morale.

He called for the swift implementation of the 25% and 35% wage award increments, a full salary review in line with national standards, and the long-delayed payment of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA), which has remained outstanding since 2008. The demands, he argued, are overdue and necessary to restore dignity to the academic profession.

Reinforcing the message of resilience, Comrade Zubairu Abdulmumini Loko, Chairperson of ASUU at Nasarawa State University, Keffi, hailed the union as “unbroken, unbent, and unbowed.” He highlighted chronic challenges facing Nigerian academics, ranging from outdated infrastructure to meagre remuneration.

Loko outlined essentials for true academic empowerment: salaries that sustain workers, research funding adequate for meaningful scholarship, functional infrastructure and university autonomy insulated from political interference. He warned that without serious investment in academics, aspirations for national development will remain elusive.

He also underscored the importance of wellness, urging members to prioritise their health while pursuing their advocacy. “You cannot lead a revolution with blood pressure higher than school fees,” he said, adding that a strong movement requires strong minds and bodies.

A forthright critique came from the National Resource Person, Comrade Ofukwu Raphael Agbo, who challenged Nigerian professors to be bolder in confronting systemic failures. He argued that excessive caution and politicisation have muted many senior academics, stressing that ASUU continues to serve as a “moral firewall” preventing further decline in the university system.

The event featured medical screenings, panel discussions, health talks and interactive sessions. Attendees also honoured newly promoted professors, past ESUT-ASUU leaders, retired members and families of deceased colleagues.

A report presented at the event revealed lingering unpaid benefits:

  • 27 retired members are yet to receive their ₦400,000 retirement entitlements.
  • 16 families of deceased members are still owed their ₦400,000 death benefits.

The 2025 ASUU Day closed with a shared call for solidarity, principled advocacy and renewed determination to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s university system—values speakers said must guide the union into the years ahead.