Academic Staff Turnover in Nigerian Universities (1990-1997)

Abstract

Background of Study University education, in contemporary times world over, is becoming an exceedingly complex enterprise. This complexity requires a high degree of competence and proven scholarship from university academic staff in particular and entire staff in general. This is so because universities, by their unique nature are expected to be a repository of most specialized and skilled intellectuals. They serve as storehouses of knowledge for nurturing manpower needs of nation and hence, for satisfying aspirations of people for a good, and humane society. Central to realisation of university education goals and objectives are academic staff whose roles are crucial. Academic staff their number, quality and their effectiveness make difference in university education production function. The Nigerian University system has been in a high state of anxiety and frequent crises of different types and intensity. There are crises of internal governance and control, nepotism, ethnic chauvinism and favouritism, philosophy and mission, under-funding and shortage of facilities and equipment, crises of conditions of service and industrial unrest, brain-drain and staff turnover. Of all crises, those of scarce resources, under-funding, brain-drain and staff turnover have been identified as most crucial and central. Okunrotifa (1982): NUC (1995). Nwadiani (1999). It would appear, however, that these problems are not peculiar to Nigeria, but general to African continent. For example, Ekong (1995) in his address at Association of African Universities conference of Rectors, Vice-Chancellors and Presidents of African Universities expressed deep feelings of apprehension about on-going state of hostility between governments and academic communities in many countries of Africa. The (AAU conference of 1995) specifically and heavily censored Nigeria, Kenya and Cote d'Ivorie among other countries where higher education appear to have suffered most due to ... under-funding and subsequent reduction of expenditure on a variety of educational inputs. In Nigeria problem has been so acute that money and facilities for teaching and research are either not available or are in acute shortage. Nwankwo (1992:207) expressed this when he said that: Human and material resources inadequacy is not a new phenomenon in tertiary education systems management. What is perhaps novel is persistent incapacity (or reluctance) of such a system, specifically in Nigeria, to respond effectively to situation. Of all inputs into Nigerian university system, human resource would appear to be worst affected as university staff are paid salaries which cannot take care of their basic needs. In fact, there is the despondence and poverty that seem to envelope and which promise to obliterate committed university (Alele-Williams 1992). The university teacher, more than anyone else, requires a peaceful and conducive working environment to attain a healthy and efficient mind as beacon of enlightenment. Regrettably, however, university system and all agents of society required for university management are unable to provide Nigerian academic with a conducive working environment and basic facilities. The salaries and general conditions of service are uninspiring and unmotivating while attainment of basic necessities of life has become a mirage to dedicated university teacher (ASUU, 1993, 1994). All efforts to improve status and conditions of service of university staff since Udoji award, through 1990s, seem not to have yielded desired results. For instance, series of commissions set up by governments like Cookey Commission of 1981 and its salary review (university salary scale--USS) and elongation of USS; and Longe Commission of 1990 did not quite alleviate poor conditions of university teacher. …