The National President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Comrade Mohammad Haruna Ibrahim, has cautioned against divide-and-rule tactics in the university system, warning that such approaches could undermine stability and effective service delivery.
Ibrahim spoke on Tuesday at the Zonal Executive Council (ZEC) meeting of the union held at Bayero University, Kano.
Addressing the Vice-Chancellor and other stakeholders, the SSANU president said the university system could not effectively discharge its mandate if internal divisions were encouraged.
“Mr. Vice-Chancellor, permit me to speak in my comrade voice. The university cannot effectively discharge its mandate if we allow politicians to sow seeds of division through divide-and-rule tactics,” he said.
He commended representatives of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), and SSANU for what he described as a demonstration of unity and shared purpose.
According to him, the solidarity displayed by the various unions at the institutional level should serve as a model for national engagement.
“You have a symbol here that we should copy even at the national level,” Ibrahim said, adding that recent engagements with ASUU’s national leadership reflected a more inclusive disposition.
“I am happy to report that the current leadership of ASUU at the national level has shown a body language that is amenable to carrying everybody along. I have been in discussion with the ASUU President and several respected academics within ASUU circles, and this is the way to go,” he said.
The SSANU president stressed that harmony among university unions was essential for progress, noting that competition and unnecessary rivalry would only weaken the system.
“What belongs to you will remain yours, and what belongs to me will remain mine. There is no need to fight. We will not fight, but if we do not say things the way they are, we will continue to have issues,” he said.
Ibrahim also urged government at all levels to recognise the interdependent nature of the university structure.
“Government must understand that the university system operates like a chain — every segment is interconnected and dependent on the other. Once one link is weakened or broken, the entire system is affected,” he said.
He called for policies that promote fairness, consultation and collective responsibility among stakeholders, warning that selective engagement or preferential treatment could breed distrust and instability within the system.
Ibrahim reaffirmed SSANU’s commitment to constructive dialogue, unity among campus unions, and sustained advocacy for policies that would strengthen Nigeria’s public universities.
