Tension is rising at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, AAUA, as members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, have threatened to embark on an indefinite strike over alleged unpaid salaries, arrears, and other unresolved demands.
The development comes amid the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, which has since August withdrawn services over similar grievances, crippling academic activities on campus.
SSANU’s position was made known on Thursday by the Chairman of the Joint Action Committee, JAC, at AAUA, Comrade Olutayo Ogungbeni, who accused the administration of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of failing to honour commitments made in June 2025 to offset arrears and increase subventions to state-owned tertiary institutions.
Ogungbeni disclosed that SSANU members had not received salaries since July, amounting to over two months of unpaid wages. He argued that the subvention currently provided to AAUA was grossly inadequate, making it impossible to implement the 2024 National Minimum Wage for university workers.
“The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, AAUA, may commence industrial action if all outstanding salaries are not paid. The last salary collected was in July, and now we are in October,” Ogungbeni declared.
He lamented that university staff had endured months of hardship with patience, but warned that members were now prepared for a total showdown with the state government if their demands were ignored.
According to him, the union’s demands include:
Payment of 54 months’ arrears dating back to 2019
Payment of 18 months’ arrears from the 25%/35% salary increment
Payment of two months’ arrears from the 2024 minimum wage adjustment
Settlement of promotion arrears for 2022, 2023, and 2024
Immediate payment of August and September 2025 salaries
Ogungbeni accused the government of “systematic neglect” of AAUA, stressing that inadequate funding had weakened the university over the years.
He warned that while the ASUU strike had already paralyzed teaching and learning, a simultaneous SSANU strike would completely shut down administrative and support services in the institution.
Efforts to get a response from the state Commissioner for Education, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, proved unsuccessful as he was unavailable for comment at the time of filing this report.
Adekunle Ajasin varsity senior staff threaten strike over unpaid salaries, arrears