By Specific Correspondent

President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Chris Piwuna has urged lecturers across Nigeria to resume teaching, research, and community service following the signing of a new agreement with the Federal Government, describing it as a historic moment for the nation’s universities.

In an interview with ARISE News on Wednesday, Professor Piwuna said the 2026 agreement replaces the long-standing 2009 pact and represents a significant achievement after 16 years of negotiation. “We have arrived at this point, we’ve signed an agreement, government have agreed to it, it’s a great achievement for both sides—for the government and for our union and all those who have contributed to ensuring that we get to this point,” he said.

Professor Piwuna highlighted that the agreement would only benefit members of ASUU, noting ongoing challenges with other academic unions. “CONWA, NAMDA, are our members. As far as we’re concerned, they are our members. Some of them are still paying dues to ASU. So our first appeal to them is that they should come back to the fold. We are willing to accept them so that we can work together. But in the event that they do not return to the fold, this agreement is not for them,” he said.

The ASUU president also warned against government interference, emphasising the need to protect university autonomy. “The Ministry of Education, this current Ministry of Education, meddles into affairs of our universities. They do it through our governing councils. They appoint acting vice chancellors today. The ministry will direct that an acting vice chancellor be sent to JAWS. Governing councils and pro chancellors have become ready tools to be used by the ministry to disrupt our autonomy. And that was the point that I was making,” Piwuna explained.

He outlined some unresolved issues, including the dismissal of staff at Lagos State University, Kogi State University, and the Federal University of Technology, FUTO, which the government has promised to address. “Our members at Lagos State University, about five of them, are still being dismissed. We have included it as part of our demands to ensure that matter is resolved. We have about 108 members that have been dismissed from Kogi State University by the previous administration. We still have members being victimised at FUTO. These are issues that Alhaji Ali Ahmed has agreed to take up, and he will follow up,” Piwuna said.

The ASUU president stressed that the long-term success of the agreement would depend on the commitment of lecturers to return fully to their duties. “To correct whatever has happened, whatever situation students, Nigerians, our reputation in Nigeria, whatever that impression, to correct it is for us to commit to be sincere in this agreement. Our responsibility now that we’ve signed an agreement is to go back to our work. We are supposed to conduct research. We are supposed to teach. We are supposed to carry out community service. Lecturers must go back and take research very seriously for as long as funds are available. Let us commit to make this country great again through our research output,” he said.

Piwuna described the day the agreement was signed as historic. “Actually, at one of these interviews, you asked me when we’re going to see, whether we’re ever going to see a day like this. And that day has come. The day has come,” he concluded.