A retiring lecturer at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Uchenna Udeani, has called on the federal and state governments to urgently improve the conditions of service for lecturers to sustain the system and attract younger academics.
Udeani, a Professor of Science Education and immediate past Director of the Distance Learning Institute of the university, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
She said low morale among lecturers in public tertiary institutions, coupled with mass resignations and retirements, as well as a lack of interest by younger people, were creating a dangerous vacuum in Nigeria’s academic system.
“I joined the university system in 1982 and have worked in four universities. Currently, I am seeing a workforce that is too demoralised, and such demoralisation is seriously affecting the system,” she said.
According to her, the teaching profession in Nigerian universities is gradually losing its appeal due to poor remuneration and inadequate working conditions.
“When we joined, there was a bond, friendship and collective spirit among lecturers. We supported one another, but these days, the younger ones are struggling with survival — thinking of transport fares, energy bills, and children’s school fees, yet their salaries remain stagnant,” Udeani said.
She lamented that lecturers hardly had the tools to effectively carry out their duties, stressing that “with that mindset, you cannot expect the best from them, and that is quite worrisome.”
Udeani added that the low morale had made many younger lecturers lose interest in their work, even when encouraged to pursue research grants and other opportunities.
She therefore urged governments at all levels to prioritise the welfare of lecturers and other workers in tertiary institutions to prevent further brain drain.
“As a Lecturer I or Lecturer II, the university should be able to provide a laptop, a printer, and a comfortable office as basic work tools. But today, wherever you see a decent office, it is because the lecturer personally funded it,” she said.
According to her, lecturers neither get car loans nor enjoy adequate funding for academic conferences, both local and international.
“Only a few can afford to attend such conferences because the costs are high, yet these are essential for professional growth. You cannot expect meaningful impact from poorly treated intellectuals,” she added.
The professor, who is set to retire next year, expressed concern over the mass exodus of lecturers and the shrinking pool of academics in Nigerian universities.
“In my department, almost all of us are in the professorial cadre. The younger ones have left, some professors have retired, and more are about to. People get promoted, but no one is coming up to replace them — this is worrisome,” she said.
Udeani further noted that if the trend continued, females might eventually dominate the academic workforce, as male lecturers were increasingly leaving the profession.
“At the primary and secondary education levels, there are hardly any males left in the system. If there are, they are very few,” she added.
She called for immediate intervention to restore dignity, motivation, and sustainability in Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
(NAN)
