Chris Piwuna
Christopher Piwuna, president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has accused the federal government of stalling genuine university autonomy and academic freedom.
Piwuna, on Sunday, appeared as a special guest during the latest session of The Toyin Falola Interview Series.
The ASUU president highlighted a 16-year struggle for academic freedom and criticised what he described as a “cycle of hesitation, reluctance, and bureaucratic obstruction” by successive governments.
“Why is the government afraid of university autonomy to the extent that for about 16 years, we are still trying to negotiate university autonomy as intellectuals? We still feel that our autonomy is threatened,” he said.
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Piwuna argued that the lack of autonomy is hindering the capacity of universities to thrive.
“Without autonomy, our current conditions of service are unable to attract the best. This is closely tied to the lack of autonomy,” he said.
“How can universities plan effectively or attract scholars of international repute when they do not control their own operations?
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“Our struggle is about restoring dignity, efficiency, and accountability to our universities. True autonomy is essential to creating an academic environment that supports world-class teaching, independent inquiry, and responsible governance.
“Autonomy is about enabling universities to operate as engines of innovation and progress for the nation.”
The interview, hosted by Toyin Falola, a renowned historian, featured a panel of distinguished stakeholders in the education sector.
The panel included the linguist Francis Egbokhare and journalist Grace Edema.
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Also on the panel was Nigeria Labour Congress president Joe Ajaero and economist Sheriffdeen Adewale Tella.
The panellists explored the systemic challenges facing Nigeria’s tertiary education sector, the urgent need for institutional reform, and the role autonomy could play in revitalising Nigerian universities.
