Professor Chris Piwuna Emerges as New ASUU President Amidst Potential Strike Action

Benin City, Edo State – The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has a new leader at its helm. Professor Chris Piwuna, a distinguished consultant psychiatrist at the University of Jos Teaching Hospital (JUTH) and the current Dean of Student Affairs at the University of Jos, Plateau State, was elected as the new national president of the union on Sunday.

Professor Piwuna’s election took place during ASUU’s 23rd National Delegates Congress held at the University of Benin in Benin City, Edo State. He emerged victorious against Professor Adamu Babayo of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, according to sources familiar with the election.

He succeeds Professor Victor Osodeke, a professor of Soil Science from Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, who had served as the president of ASUU since 2021. Professor Osodeke’s tenure was marked by significant industrial actions and intense negotiations with the Federal Government regarding the welfare of university lecturers and the funding of the Nigerian university system.

Professor Piwuna, a professor of Medicine, brings a wealth of experience to the role, having previously served as the National Vice President of ASUU and as a former Dean of Student Affairs at the University of Jos. He obtained his medical degree from the University of Jos in 2000 and a Master’s degree from the University of Malta in 2013. He is a fellow of the West African College of Physicians and a member of the International Psychogeriatric Association, with research interests focused on the quality of life in older adults.

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His emergence as the new ASUU president comes at a critical juncture for Nigerian universities. There is growing speculation about potential renewed industrial action by university lecturers due to unresolved issues. Key among these are the contentious sharing formula for the recently released Earned Academic Allowances by the Federal Government, persistent concerns about the increasing rate of brain drain within the academic community, and a backlog of systemic challenges plaguing Nigeria’s public universities, including funding, university autonomy, and staff welfare.

Professor Piwuna’s leadership is anticipated to play a crucial role in navigating these complex issues and guiding the union’s future engagements with the government and other stakeholders in the education sector. An official communique from ASUU regarding the election and the union’s stance on current issues is expected later today.