ASUU President Commends Late Prof. Madunagu for Defending Justice

The late Professor Bene Madunagu was a leader who battled against oppression and injustice, according to Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

At a wake/funeral conference held in memory of the late botany professor and the first female ASUU chairman of the University of Calabar chapter, Osodeke made this statement.

Remember that Professor Madunagu, who passed away on November 26, 2024, at the age of 77, was reinstated in 1981 after being summarily removed as a lecturer in 1978 for her involvement in union activities.

Madunagu used her life to make a positive impact on the people and the world around her, according to the president of ASUU.

He claimed that in order to significantly improve the welfare of the populace, Nigeria required leaders who were service-oriented, like the late Madunagu.

Osodeke voiced concern that the nation’s political elite lacked the motivation for unselfish leadership.

It is unfair that they have no interest in providing selfless service to the public; their sole goal is to amass fortune.

The situation has gotten so severe that even young people no longer value hard effort. He claimed that people primarily desire government positions in order to embezzle public funds.

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He said that policymakers’ focus on education in the nation is inadequate and ridiculous.

“It is ridiculous and will not benefit the education sector that we send N2 billion to a federal institution each year for overhead costs, but the Ministry of Finance receives almost N72 billion.

“We need to reclaim our nation because this is one of the injustices and bad policies that the late Madunagu fought against,” he stated.

Despite apparent obstacles, the late professor made a significant contribution to the fight for a better society, according to Prof. Eka Braide, who also spoke at the ceremony.

According to Braide, the University of Cross River’s first vice chancellor, Madunagu’s contributions to the fight for social justice and gender equality will never be forgotten.