By Ameh Gabriel
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has elected Professor Chris Piwuna, a consultant psychiatrist and Dean of Student Affairs at the University of Jos, as its new national president.
Prof. Piwuna succeeds Prof. Victor Emmanuel Osodeke, a soil science expert from the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State.
The election took place during the Union’s 23rd National Delegates Congress, held in Benin City, Edo State, on Sunday. Piwuna emerged victorious in a closely watched contest against Prof. Adamu Babayo of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi.
His emergence comes at a critical time for Nigeria’s university system, with renewed agitation over the distribution of the Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) recently released by the Federal Government. The academic community also continues to grapple with persistent issues including underfunding, infrastructure decay, and rising cases of brain drain.
Prof. Piwuna is no stranger to ASUU leadership, having previously served as Vice President under Prof. Osodeke’s tenure. His leadership is expected to steer the union through ongoing negotiations with the government and internal debates over future industrial actions.
Observers within the education sector say his tenure will be pivotal in shaping ASUU’s next steps, particularly on matters of staff welfare, university autonomy, and sustainable funding.
