Obi Laments Varsity Teachers’ Sufferings
Chuks Okocha in Abuja
Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has lamented the sufferings of some university teachers in the country.
Obi, who had a meeting with a University professor in Nsukka on Wednesday, who was in a pitiable state of his affairs as a University Professor for 14 years, was sad about the development.
The lecturer, who sought Obi’s intervention to land a more lucrative job by serving as special assistant to a federal legislator, left the former presidential hopeful more devastated.
In a statement by his media aide, Obi had gone to Nsukka to campaign for a Labour Party House of Representatives member involved in a court-declared bye-election, when he ran into the professor friend with his pathetic story which mirrored virtually all working class in the nation’s tertiary institutions in the country.
Sharing the touchy story in his X handle platform, Obi wrote: “My two key assignments in Nsukka, Enugu State, on Wednesday as significant as they were, got consumed in my chance but emotional encounter with an old friend and University mate now a professor in the institution.
“My mission in Nsukka was for two important events. First, was to visit and assess a dilapidated health center, and second, to campaign for one of the federal legislators, Hon Dennis Agbo, contesting to represent Udenu/Igbo Eze North Federal Constituency in the forthcoming bye-election on Saturday.
“I believe this legislator is committed to the good of his people. But while in Nsukka, I met one of those brilliant fellows I knew while I was a student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in the 80s. The fellow graduated with a first class and became a lecturer in the institution.
“When I later visited the University as the then governor of Anambra State, he proudly announced to me that he was already a professor and I rejoiced with him.
“I met him again in Nsukka on Wednesday, but our exchange of pleasantries resulted in very pathetic tales about his general welfare.
“I noticed in his look and mien that all his happiness of being a professor had vanished. He began his story by telling me that he felt like he wasted all his years lecturing.”
According to him, his salary as of January 31, 2010, which was 14 years ago, remained the same to date, having reached the pinnacle of his career.
“The only significant difference is that while the money was worth something in 2010, today the same amount is worth nothing.
“The Professor recalled how he was able to buy a Toyota Corolla from his savings, something that is not possible again today. I asked for his salary today, he said about N400,000.
“He broke my heart when he requested that I put in words for him so that Hon Dennis Agbo can appoint him as Special Adviser when he wins. The reason for the bizarre request that shocked me was that he would earn more and receive more perks as an SA than as Prof.
“Touched by this and applying my finance background, I decided to do some comparative analysis.
“By January 31, 2010, the salary of a Nigerian University Professor was about N400,000. With the then prevalent exchange rate of N150.10 per dollar, the salary amounted to about $2665.
“Fourteen years later, on January 31, 2024, the salary of a University Professor remains about N400,000. With the prevailing exchange rate of N1,510 per dollar, the same salary now amounts to about $265.
“So after putting in 14 years of hard work, having attained the zenith of his academic career, a Nigerian University Professor now earns 10% of what he earned 14 years ago – this is only possible in Nigeria.
“My campaign, therefore, is to dismantle this criminality and create a functional society where people’s talents, efforts, and sacrifices will match up with their opportunities in life,” Obi stressed.
