President Bola Tinubu has described the absence of industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) since he assumed office as an answer to the prayers of Nigerians, saying students can now complete their university programmes within the stipulated period.
Speaking on Tuesday while receiving the leadership of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Tinubu said the end of prolonged ASUU strikes represents one of the tangible achievements of his administration.
The President noted that parents and guardians no longer have to endure the uncertainty and disruption caused by recurring university shutdowns.
“None of your children in university today, and I would say they are all your children because you are reverend fathers, can say a four-year course is not four years.
“ASUU is not on strike. They are not bringing agony to your homes. Is that not an answer to our prayers? To me, that’s an answer,” Tinubu said.
He acknowledged that Nigerians had faced economic hardship following difficult policy decisions taken by his administration but insisted that the reforms were beginning to yield positive results.
According to him, his government inherited significant economic and structural challenges from the previous administration but has succeeded in stabilising the country.
“I inherited the assets and liabilities of my predecessor, and I’ve been running with it. But this government has stabilised and there is prosperity on the horizon. The quality of life is improving,” he said.
Tinubu also assured the bishops that his administration remained committed to overcoming Nigeria’s security challenges through ongoing reforms.
“The security situation is what it is. We don’t have another country but here. This Nigeria. And we revert to our national anthem, in its complexity, diversity, we shall thrive, rejoice and be good to all of us,” he added.
The President’s remarks come against the backdrop of decades of disruptions in Nigeria’s public university system caused by recurrent strikes by ASUU and other tertiary institution unions.
Between 1999 and 2022, ASUU embarked on several industrial actions that resulted in more than five years of cumulative academic disruptions, with the union’s eight-month strike in 2022 standing as the longest in its history. Since Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, the union has not embarked on any prolonged nationwide strike, allowing academic calendars in many public universities to run with greater stability.