BY OWEI LAKEMFA
PROFESSOR Nnamdi Chinwendu Nwaeze holds three degrees in economics, all with distinction. When, on August 11, 2026, lecturers of the Abia State University (ABSU), where he professes, went on strike, he applied his economics profession by comparing the ₦400,000 some of the lecturers are paid with the income of the commercial tricyclist who makes an average ₦15,000 daily.
His simple calculation was that the tricyclist, who requires no educational qualification for his work beyond riding skill, earns more than a lecturer with multiple degrees. Yet the lecturer is entrusted with developing the intellectual, educational, social and moral future of Abia youths and, by extension, that of Nigerian and African youths.
The lecturers in ABSU are partly to blame for their state; how can they be owed 17–44 months’ salary and still be working? How were they taking care of themselves and their families? Any wonder some 85 percent of them had abandoned their cars because they could neither afford the high fuel costs nor maintenance. They have, in my view, been silent when they should have spoken out. For instance, when Vice-Chancellor Okeudo claimed in March 2026 during a press conference on the 30th, 31st and 32nd combined convocation that Governor Otti had cleared the backlog of salaries left by past administrations of the state, they should have refuted the claims.
He also said in the same Abia State, a local government councillor, who may not have a basic high school certificate, earns about ₦600,000 monthly. Professor Nwaeze also noted that: “A House of Assembly member earns about ₦8 million net salary in Abia State. Most appointees of this government can pay the salary of a professor and still have enough to take care of their families and personal needs.”
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In contrast with the pittance being paid in ABSU, he stated that professors in all the federal and most state universities earn between ₦1.3m to ₦1.4m monthly salary.
In describing the near-slavery state of the academics in ABSU, Nwaeze revealed that some of the lecturers had not been paid for as long as forty-four months while those promoted between 2023 and 2026 had not received salaries reflecting their new ranks.
He further claimed that the lecturers in ABSU had never received Earned Academic Allowances, while about ₦163 million in cooperative deductions was owed by the government and that union dues remitted by the government were not being paid to their union, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). The conclusion of the economist is that the lecturers, many of whom cannot send their children to the university due to the poverty state they had been reduced to, are in reality subsidizing the state government in carrying out their functions.
The professor appealed that: “All men of good conscience should plead with the Abia State government to pay ASUU-ABSU staff their due pay and end this strike within the shortest time.” All issues raised by Nwaeze are verifiable; his method constructive; the tone respectful and reconciliatory. No sensible person would take offence.
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But not the authorities of ABSU led by the vice-chancellor, Ndukwe James Okeudo, an animal scientist who was appointed by the state governor, Alex Otti, on November 1, 2024. Okeudo, whose office claims is transforming ABSU: “into a hub of academic excellence, innovation and entrepreneurship (and) empowering the next generation of leaders to drive Nigeria’s rapid development,” immediately suspended Professor Nwaeze. This was without following the processes and procedures of the ABSA edict, without issuing him queries, giving him a chance to defend himself or presuming the lecturer innocent until proven guilty as is constitutionally required.
The ABSU spokesman, Chijioke Nwogu, who also doubles as the deputy registrar, said the action was taken due to the: “various social media posts attributed to Professor Nwaeze, which is inimical to the interests of the University and uncomplimentary to the Visitor of the University (Governor Alex Otti).”
The university did not disclose the social media posts allegedly made by Nwaeze and who attributed them to him. It also did not disclose why it decided to deny the lecturer his freedom of expression.
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But after assuming Nwaeze is guilty as charged even when no charges have been brought against him, the Okeudo gang, perhaps as an afterthought, added that it had: “constituted an Investigative Panel to consider the matter (but) The suspension takes immediate effect pending the outcome of the investigation by the Panel.”
If Governor Alex Otti cares anything about his reputation, he needs to immediately fulfil his agreements with the striking ABSU lecturers, recall Professor Nwaeze, sack the Vice-Chancellor Okeudo gang and put in place a professional and self-respecting administration to run the university.
However, if the Okeudo regime thought it could cow the lecturer by bullying him, it is mistaken. Rather than back down, Nwaeze doubled down, stating: “In life, somebody must pay the price for the liberation of others… Don’t sympathize with me; instead, direct your sympathy to the paymasters.” It is incredible that a university with a law faculty and a former speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Honourable Agwu N. Agwu, as pro-chancellor can degenerate to this level of lawlessness.
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The lecturers in ABSU are partly to blame for their state; how can they be owed 17–44 months’ salary and still be working? How were they taking care of themselves and their families? Any wonder some 85 percent of them had abandoned their cars because they could neither afford the high fuel costs nor maintenance. They have, in my view, been silent when they should have spoken out. For instance, when Vice-Chancellor Okeudo claimed in March 2026 during a press conference on the 30th, 31st and 32nd combined convocation that Governor Otti had cleared the backlog of salaries left by past administrations of the state, they should have refuted the claims.
The ABSU lecturers appear to have been so passive that they decided to fight for their fundamental right to wages for work done only after they had made numerous appeals and held over thirty meetings and negotiations with the state government.
There is also the issue of Governor Otti, who is in office flying the Labour Party (LP) flag. He claims education is a main priority of his government. At his March 11, 2026 meeting with leaders of the nine states of the Old Eastern Region of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Otti had declared: “We are also very intentional because we know the outcomes we expect. We take education very, very seriously. And the simple reason is that none of us will probably be sitting here if we are not educated. And that’s why we have consistently in the last three years committed one-fifth of our budgets to education, and it will continue that way, so far as I sit here.”
So, why would a state that claims to commit so much to education not pay the lecturers of the apex educational institute in the state salaries as and when due? Why should it pay half salaries and, in some cases, owe salaries running to three years?
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Why should a ‘progressive governor’ who on April 29, 2026 approved the lecturers’ demands not fulfil his promises, thereby forcing them to embark on strike fourteen weeks later?
If Governor Alex Otti cares anything about his reputation, he needs to immediately fulfil his agreements with the striking ABSU lecturers, recall Professor Nwaeze, sack the Vice-Chancellor Okeudo gang and put in place a professional and self-respecting administration to run the university.
We must ensure universities in the country are run as universe and not some village contraption with clowns in academic gowns.
