The decision to keep the Vice-Chancellor of Osun State University, UNIOSUN, Prof. Clement Adegbooye, in office for an additional two years has triggered a fresh dispute over university governance in Osun State.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has rejected the extension, warning that the development could create a troubling precedent for the administration of Nigerian universities.
Adegbooye’s tenure, originally scheduled to expire in January 2027, has now been extended until January 2029 following a decision announced by Osun State Governor and Visitor to the university, Ademola Adeleke.
Adeleke disclosed the extension on September 1, 2026, during the inauguration of the reconstituted Governing Council of the institution.
ASUU President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, has said the union was deeply concerned about both the extension and the reported amendment of the legislation governing UNIOSUN.
According to Piwuna, “the legal framework under which Adegbooye was appointed provides for a single five-year tenure and does not contemplate an additional extension.”
He said the UNIOSUN Law was based on the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Act, 2012, which was introduced partly to address disputes surrounding the tenure of vice-chancellors.
“The enactment of the Principal Act was part of efforts to curtail the pervading atmosphere of rancour and bitterness thrown up by tenure extension or renewal for vice-chancellors in Nigerian universities,” Piwuna said.
The ASUU president argued that changing the state law to accommodate an extension as the vice-chancellor approached the end of his tenure could weaken the principles established by the 2012 legislation.
He also expressed concern that the development could encourage similar actions in other states, particularly where political authorities seek to influence the administration of public universities.
Piwuna warned that such a situation could generate tensions within institutions, potentially leading to what he described as “pent-up anger, sycophancy, and administrative witch-hunt”.
He maintained that an unstable administrative environment could affect the ability of universities to concentrate on their core responsibilities of teaching, research and development.
The union also questioned Adegbooye’s decision to accept the extension, noting that he had previously served as a branch secretary of ASUU at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
Piwuna said accepting the additional tenure was inconsistent with the principles and values traditionally promoted by the union.
He urged the vice-chancellor to reconsider his position before January 2027, which ASUU regards as the end of his legally valid tenure.
The union president also criticised the timing of the reported amendment to the UNIOSUN Law, arguing that changing the rules when the incumbent’s tenure was nearing its conclusion raised fundamental questions.
He described the move as antithetical to democratic norms and said it could cast doubt on the administration’s commitment to the rule of law.
“This is not good enough for a governor whose recent re-election against all odds drew nationwide applause,” Piwuna said.
ASUU said it would continue to pursue the matter if its concerns were not addressed, warning that it would not allow what it called the absurdity at UNIOSUN to become a model for other universities.
The union also called on the reconstituted Governing Council to perform its duties independently and without disruptive interference, stressing that UNIOSUN was established for the wider public interest.
Piwuna said, “The reconstituted Governing Council must be allowed to carry out its mandate without disruptive interference and intrigues.”
He added that the institution, which operates under a licence from the National Universities Commission, should be allowed to fulfil its educational mandate and contribute to the development of future leaders.
ASUU cautioned that the situation could, deliberately or otherwise, establish a precedent in which state authorities disregard national standards governing the management of universities.