The immediate past Deputy Executive Secretary of the Administration, National Universities Commission (NUC), Mr. Chris Maiyaki, has called on both the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to be more realistic in the approach to resolving outstanding issues in dispute.
Maiyaki, who retired from the Federal civil service last Friday after 35 years of meritorious service to the nation, said both the Federal Government and ASUU have a stake in the growth and stability of the University system in Nigeria.
He expressed confidence in the ability and desire of the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address the demands of ASUU and other staff unions, noting, however, that dwindling resources might limit the efforts of the government in responding to all the challenges at the same time.
In a chat with newsmen during the weekend in Abuja, Maiyaki, who served as the Acting Executive Secretary of NUC from 2023 to 2024, also warned that Nigerian lecturers should not be exposed to ridicule in view of their poor remuneration, saying this was the major cause of brain-drain affecting university education in the country.
He said while the government must realise that the system is hinged on the manpower, the teaching and learning services that the lecturers provide, members of ASUU should also be realistic in their demands from the government.
He said: ‘The system is hinged on their manpower, the teaching and learning services that they provide. But I think as the system evolved, the livelihoods of university staff began to erode by a combination of economic downturn and revenue accruing to the government. So, the government, as much as it would have loved to, is not able to meet the demands of ASUU at the level that they want.
‘So what the situation requires is a balance. There has to be a balance. Both sides have to be very realistic.
‘I strongly believe that the academic staff are deserving of a befitting salary structure so that we do not expose our academics to ridicule. They could be potential victims of recruitment by other systems, by other countries. As you can see, the exodus speaks volumes as to the dwindling fortunes of the Nigerian academics.
‘Nigerian academics have demonstrated intellectual credibility and have gained a lot of accolades, recognition, and are very outstanding wherever they go. Why can’t they remain here and prove their brand and their mettle? We need to create the enabling environment, the ecosystem. I think this is the bone of contention.
‘The survival of the Nigerian university system is at the heart of the struggle of ASUU and we need to, as a system, build consensus around that; the understanding that the university system must survive,’ he said.
He recalled that during the last prolonged strike action by ASUU, when the government invoked no work, no pay, some of the lecturers became Uber drivers, with some of their passengers being their students.
‘That’s very dehumanising. We can do a lot more by repositioning the system in terms of staff emolument, in terms of equipment, in terms of capacity building, in terms of the governance system, in terms of funding. University education capital intensive,’ he stated.
Maiyaki also encouraged younger public servants to uphold integrity, diligence, and professionalism in their duties, reminding them that ‘public office is a trust that must be managed with humility and accountability.’
At an Evening of Goodwill and Tributes organised in his honour by the staff of NUC, Maiyaki was eulogised for leaving a legacy of institutional reforms, capacity development initiatives, and strategic partnerships that contributed to the modernisation of Nigeria’s university administration.
Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Ahmad, described Maiyaki as a model of professionalism and institutional memory, having served dedicatedly and diligently under six different Executive Secretaries of the commission and 18 Ministers of Education, while also serving as an acting Executive Secretary of the Commission for more than one year.
Former Executive Secretaries, Professors Julius Okojie and Adamu Rashid, who also graced the occasion, applauded his remarkable intelligence, hard work, and humility that he exuded throughout his service.