Three months into the strike action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), wives of Vice Chancellors of public universities are set to pay N1.5 million each for a trip to Istanbul, Turkey.

Under the aegis of the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities Spouses (CVCNUS), the women will attend a five-day ‘Leadership and Management Masterclass’ in Turkey’s largest city, from July 18 to 23.

The planned trip was communicated by the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVCNU) via a letter dated May 5 and signed by Yakubu Ochefu, its Secretary-General.

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The letter addressed to Vice Chancellors was titled, ‘Invitation to the Istanbul 5-Day Leadership & Management Masterclass, Fellowship Induction for Spouses of Vice Chancellors, Women in Academics and Higher Education Leadership’.

“We understand the vital role spouses play in supporting Vice Chancellors as they execute their day- to day administration of universities. It is therefore imperative, that capacity building exercises be put in place for the Women in Academics and spouses of Vice Chancellors in Nigerian Universities,” the letter reads in part.

“In this regard, the Committee’s Secretariat, in partnership with Win Institute for Gender Studies, Nigeria in collaboration with her Turkey-based learning partner, Istanbul Egitimler, have put together a 5-day Leadership & Management Masterclass, and Fellowship Induction for spouses of Vice Chancellors, women academics and higher education leadership in Africa.”

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ASUU has been on strike since February 14 after negotiations between the union and the federal government broke down over the choice of payment platforms to use when paying lecturers’ benefits and a host of other demands.

Since that time, Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment, and Emeka Nwajiuba; Minister of State for Education, have each paid N100 million to purchase presidential nomination and expression of interest forms from All Progressives Congress (APC), the ruling party.