“Professors Earn Less Than Kekè Riders”: Nigerian Varsity Suspends Lecturer Over Viral Facebook Post

“Uncomplimentary to the visitor of the university – Alex Otti:” Reasons Professor Nwaeze who dared to go public with what many lecturers have whispered in private – that their pay is embarrassingly poor – deserved punishment – full statement by Abia State University

Abia State University, Uturu, ABSU, is in turmoil after suspending a professor who dared to go public with what many lecturers have whispered in private: that their pay is embarrassingly poor.

NOP NIGERIA reports that Professor Nwaeze was suspended on Wednesday over a Facebook post in which he claimed that professors at ABSU earn less than ₦400,000 per month — less than what commercial tricycle riders make in Umuahia.

The university announced the suspension on Thursday through its spokesman, Chijioke Nwogu, who doubles as Deputy Registrar. The statement said the post was “inimical to the interests of the university and uncomplimentary to the visitors of the university.”

The “visitor” in question is Governor Alex Otti of Abia State. Management said an investigative panel has been constituted to probe the matter and the suspension takes immediate effect.

The post was tied to the ongoing industrial action declared by ASUU at ABSU. Nwaeze said he was familiar with the issues that led to the strike but had kept quiet to avoid being tagged an “enemy of the state” or dismissed for a “political statement.”

In the viral post, the professor painted a damning picture of ABSU’s salary structure. He claimed lecturers at the university receive the poorest remuneration among Nigerian universities.

According to him, ABSU lecturers are still being paid on the 2009 ASUU/FG salary structure, while federal and most state universities have moved to the 2024 structure and even the December 2025 reviewed structure which ABSU has not implemented.

“Are you aware that professors in all the federal and most state universities now earn between N1.3m to N1.4m as against what is obtainable in ABSU?” Nwaeze asked his Facebook audience.

He drove the point home with a comparison that has since set social media ablaze: “professors at ABSU earn less than ₦400,000 per month, while commercial tricyclists earn over ₦450,000 per month.”

The professor did not stop at transporters. He compared academic pay to political office pay in Abia.
“In this same Abia State, a local government councillor who may not have an ordinary WAEC level certificate allegedly earns about N600,000 monthly,” he wrote.

“A House of Assembly member earns about ₦8 million net salary in Abia State. Most appointees of this government can pay the salary of a professor and still have enough to take care of their families and personal needs.”

The post quickly went viral, sparking outrage among students, alumni, and civil society groups who accused the university of prioritizing politics over education. Others defended management, saying public attacks damage the institution’s image.

ABSU’s response was swift. Beyond the suspension, management said the panel will determine whether the professor breached the institution’s code of conduct on public communication and use of social media.

The timing could not be worse. With ASUU already on strike at ABSU over welfare issues, Nwaeze’s suspension is likely to deepen tensions between staff and administration, and pile pressure on the Otti administration to address funding and salary disparities.

For now, a professor sits at home for speaking out, while tricycle riders continue to out-earn him on Abia roads.
The question hanging over Uturu is simple: *Was Nwaeze punished for lying, or for telling an uncomfortable truth?*

Reported for NOP NIGERIA