The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities have not been able to agree on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System and the welfare of tertiary institutions in Nigeria. In this interview with GRACE EDEMA, renowned historian and professor of African Studies, Toyin Falola, who is also the Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at the University of Texas in Austin, says the government has not demonstrated a respectable level of maturity in handling the issue with ASUU

For some months now, the Federal Government and ASUU have been at loggerheads with each other on the IPPIS. What would you say about both parties’ stance?

The two sides have their portions of blame for various reasons. For the Federal Government, having the orientation that everything can be centralised/politicised complicates the negotiation process between its officials and the Academic Staff Union of Universities. The failure at consensus, to keep promises and to think positively about the role of education in Nigeria accounts for the retrogression of the country generally. I say this knowing the cardinal place of education in the development of any country. Without it, every dream of advancement is a mere wishful thinking.

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