A lecturer at Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU), Professor Nnamdi Nwaeze, has been suspended after claiming that some tricycle operators, popularly known as Keke riders, earn more than professors at the institution.
Nwaeze, a lecturer in the Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences, reportedly made the comments on his Facebook page. According to reports, the professor said some lecturers at the university earn less than N400,000 monthly. He also compared their earnings with those of Keke riders.
Why ABSU Suspended The Lecturer
The university management reportedly took action after the comments attracted attention. ABSU suspended Nwaeze with immediate effect and described his social media posts as damaging to the interests of the institution. The university also set up a panel to investigate the matter. The suspension followed concerns over what the management considered embarrassing remarks about the university. The development has since attracted reactions from political circles in Abia State.
APC Condemns Nwaeze’s Suspension
The Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) criticised the university’s decision to suspend the lecturer. The party described the suspension as an example of intolerance by a government that claims to support democratic values.
APC Assistant Publicity Secretary, Eric Ikwuagwu, made the position known in a statement titled, “Professor Nnamdi Nwaeze is the hero of Abia democracy.”
Ikwuagwu argued that academics played an important role in Nigeria’s struggle against military rule and authoritarianism. He specifically referred to the role of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) during the country’s pro-democracy struggles.
APC Questions Salary Structure At ABSU
The APC spokesperson also linked the controversy to concerns over the salaries of university lecturers. According to him, Nwaeze’s comments were about the continued use of an old salary structure while deductions have affected workers’ take-home pay.
Ikwuagwu said the lecturer’s claim that some professors earn below N400,000 monthly should not have attracted suspension if the university considered the statement false.
He said, “If Professor Nwaeze was suspended for lying, nobody would have raised an eyebrow.”
However, he argued that suspending the professor for speaking about the issue was unfair. The APC statement also questioned the decision to suspend a lecturer in a democratic era for making what it described as an uncomplimentary remark about the institution.
What Nwaeze Reportedly Said
Nwaeze’s reported comments focused on the income gap between university professors and some commercial transport operators. He reportedly claimed that the combined earnings of some Keke riders could exceed the salaries earned by certain professors at ABSU. The claim has now sparked a wider debate over lecturers’ salaries, working conditions and the treatment of academics who publicly raise concerns about their welfare.
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