FUOYE Lecturers Starts Indefinite Strike Over Unpaid Salaries

Lecturers at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti have begun an indefinite strike over unpaid salaries, leaving students uncertain about the fate of their academic programmes.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, FUOYE branch, announced the decision in a letter to Acting Vice-Chancellor Olubunmi Shittu. The letter, signed by branch chairman Ojo Abayomi Fagbuagun and financial secretary Ngwu Benitho, said the strike would continue until all outstanding salaries were paid.

The action, according to the letter, followed a directive from ASUU’s national executive council, which ordered that any university branch whose members are not paid by the third day of the month should down tools until payments are made. The FUOYE branch stated that the strike would be total, indefinite, and comprehensive.

The crisis adds to long-running tensions between ASUU and the federal government. At the heart of the dispute is the 2009 agreement, which promised improved funding for universities, better welfare packages for lecturers, and revitalisation of infrastructure to raise academic standards.

A renegotiation committee led by Yayale Ahmed submitted its report in February 2025, but the government has yet to act on its recommendations. ASUU accuses the authorities of neglecting their commitments, deepening mistrust between both sides.

Lecturers say they are still waiting for withheld salaries spanning over three months, unpaid promotion arrears, and various allowances. The continued delay has fuelled frustration across campuses and worsened relations between the union and the government.

For students at FUOYE and other federal universities, the strike raises fears of disrupted calendars, delayed graduations, and prolonged academic uncertainty. With no resolution in sight, the standoff threatens to further weaken confidence in Nigeria’s public university system.