The Secretary-General of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) at Adeyemi Federal University of Education (AFUE), Ondo, Dr. Emmanuel Taiwo Akinola, has urged the Federal Government to embrace fairness and impartiality in its dealings with unions in the university system.

Akinola said genuine and lasting peace in Nigerian universities can only be achieved when the Federal Government treats all unions equitably, noting that selective attention and bias have long undermined the contributions of different categories of staff.

He highlighted the critical roles played by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), SSANU, the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) in sustaining teaching, research, administration, and innovation in Nigeria’s ivory towers.

According to him, the nation’s universities stand at a crossroads, and the Tinubu administration has a historic opportunity to foster inclusiveness and fairness in addressing the concerns of staff unions. He urged the Minister of Education, Dr. Moruf Tunji Alausa, to advise the President with “good conscience and fairness” in dealing with the unions.

“Universities do not thrive on lecturers alone but on a robust army of professionals that sustains the academic ecosystem,” Akinola said. He noted that administrative officers, auditors, health professionals, maintenance staff, technologists, and lecturers all form vital organs of one living body, the Nigerian university system.

He emphasized that unions are not only protectors of workers’ welfare but also custodians of the nation’s intellectual growth, demanding better funding, facilities, and fair treatment to enhance Nigeria’s capacity for technological advancement and economic competitiveness.

“For Nigeria to achieve its lofty development goals, the Federal Government must acknowledge that universities are the bedrock of national transformation,” he said. “Sustainable peace will only come when every stakeholder feels seen, heard, and valued.”

Akinola stressed that the way forward is for the government to treat every union as a partner in progress. According to him, bridging the divides within the university system will not only stabilize campuses but also lay the foundation for a knowledge-driven economy capable of repositioning Nigeria globally.