•Prof Niyi Sunmonu
The National President of the Congress of University Academics, (CONUA), Comrade Niyi Sunmonu, is an Associate Professor of Atmospheric Physics at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife in Osun State. He speaks to journalists on the thought of his union on certain issues that affect his members, reports Nigerian Tribune. Excerpts:
What is the current state of CONUA’s existence, as the union seems very quiet since its establishment?
CONUA was founded at OAU in February 2018. Fast forward to October 2022, when the process of formal recognition began with the Ministry of Labour and Employment, culminating in formal recognition by January 2023. Like any organisation or even a human being, CONUA is undergoing a natural evolution. We are at the stage of asserting ourselves, much like a young child learning to affirm their presence.
We are not deluded about the power and reach of our sister union, which has been in existence since 1978. However, we are punching within our weight class. One challenge has been deliberate obstacles placed by officials in certain government agencies and departments, notably TETFund and NUC, where we had to struggle to assert our place. Nevertheless, since receiving our formal recognition, we have remained steadfast in advocating for what we believe in, ensuring that our voice and position become better known to Nigerians of like mind. And most importantly, we have been serving the interest of our members.
Number is the strength of trade unions, how many universities have CONUA chapters? Also, does CONUA stand to benefit from the recently announced N50 billion Earned Allowances?
As of today, we have chapters, what other unions might refer to as branches in 30 universities across Nigeria, including two inter-university centres: the National Mathematical Centre in Abuja and the National Arabic Language Village in Borno State. I must point out that the CEO of the Arabic Village has been actively preventing unionisation efforts among academics, an issue we have already escalated through the Trade Union Congress (TUC) with appropriate letters served.
Regarding the N50 billion announced for the settlement of earned academic allowances, it is important to clarify that this fund is meant to compensate for work already done. It is not a favour, nor is it tied to union affiliation. According to the information we have received, it will benefit all academics who have rendered extra services beyond their standard duties. However, the modalities for disbursement are still being worked out by the Ministry, and we are closely monitoring the process.
That said, the N50 billion is merely a flash in the pan. What matters more to academics is the regular monthly emoluments. With the inflationary pressures in Nigeria today, the existing minimum wage of N70,000 has already been eroded. The last comprehensive salary review for academics happened in 2009. What we need far more urgently than earned allowances is a robust and realistic review of our salaries to match today’s economic realities. Government should value the input the academics community make in molding the next generation of Nigeria’s leaders, educators and entrepreneurs by not paying us wages that further impoverish our lives. Like doctors, many lecturers are leaving the country in droves for a greener pasture elsewhere.
In October 2024, when the government engaged in salary negotiations, CONUA was deliberately excluded, and our sister union negotiated terms that, in our view, amounted to bargaining us into deeper poverty. Back in 2009, the government proposed a minimum salary of about N1.2 million for professors, but that offer was rejected without proper consultation. Today, no professor earns up to a million naira monthly, which is both unacceptable and demoralising.
We protested our exclusion, and by December 2024, we received communication that CONUA would be included in the renegotiation process. However, as I speak to you today, no physical meeting has been convened with us. We recently learned from news reports that the negotiation committee has already submitted its report. We have protested publicly and written directly to the Minister of Education, warning that any attempt to conclude without our input will jeopardise the relative peace the universities have enjoyed since 2022.
No one can represent our interests better than ourselves. Our primary concern remains a renegotiation of the 2009 agreement, with a focus on substantial salary improvement.
What is CONUA proposing?
Since we have not been called to the negotiating table yet, it would be premature to disclose detailed proposals. However, I can affirm that the current salary level for professors is below one million naira monthly. For us, that is neither motivating nor acceptable. We intend to press for a substantial upward review that truly reflects the value of academic labour in today’s Nigeria.
Is CONUA a government tool created to weaken ASUU as people earlier believed?
Absolutely no. We exist to cater for the needs of our members. However, the formation and legal recognition of CONUA serve to check the dangers of absolute power. Before CONUA, many academics were unaware that they were being negotiated into poverty. With only one dominant voice, critical alternatives were lost.
In the past, academics were promised allowances that, in theory, would come regularly and be tax-free, but in reality, payments were delayed or inconsistent, often contingent on strike actions. Meanwhile, government offers that could have increased basic salaries were overlooked.
From inception, CONUA has been driven by principle. We believe academics should interact with information independently, sometimes arriving at conclusions that align with the government, and at other times opposing it. That is the essence of academic freedom and intellectual progress. True progress cannot come from everyone blindly following one perspective.
Our split from the former union was based on unresolved fundamental issues. After being expelled, we exercised our constitutional right under Section 40 to form a new union. We will engage critically with the government when necessary and agree when it aligns with our principles but we will always advocate independently for what we believe will move the Nigerian university system forward.
You said CONUA does not believe in strike, what actions would you consider when your demands go to deaf ears?
We are committed to legitimate and democratic avenues to seek redress. There are many tools in the box of unionism, some of which do not involve disrupting the academic calendar. However, the government must not mistake our advocacy for uninterrupted academic activities as a sign of weakness. Our commitment to stability is because we value education, the future of our children, and national development. Over the past 40 years, disruptions have led to a steady decline in university standards. We must avoid repeating that history.
What other pressing issues are you addressing for your members?
Beyond renegotiation, we are also addressing discrimination, especially regarding the arrears of wage awards from January to December 2023, and the three and a half months’ salaries that were withheld. CONUA members were not on strike at the time, yet we have been penalised unjustly. We will pursue every legitimate means to recover these withheld salaries because anything less would imply that the government prefers disruption over continuity in our universities.
What is CONUA’s position on allegations that university officials are colluding with banks to block student access to NELFUND loans?
We find such allegations deeply disturbing. As academics, even if we are not wealthy, our integrity must remain intact. If it is true that some academic administrators are collaborating with banks to deny students their rightful loans, it is an outright betrayal of the future.
We have called for immediate investigation. The government must not sweep this under the carpet. Agencies like the National Orientation Agency should name and shame those involved. A fact-finding committee must be set up, and culprits must be held accountable.
We have also suggested greater transparency. Once a student’s loan is approved, it should be published on the NELFUND website, the university website, and communicated directly to the student. There must be clear public records of all disbursements. Furthermore, CONUA and other stakeholders should be part of an oversight mechanism to ensure transparency and accountability.
