More than 500 newly employed academic staff of the University of Ibadan received formal orientation into the profession on Tuesday as the institution's chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities used the occasion to renew demands on the Federal Government to honour all outstanding financial and non financial agreements with the union.

ASUU UI Chairperson Dr Adefemi Afolabi, who addressed participants in Ibadan, described the programme as designed to expose new lecturers to the ethics, responsibilities, and expectations of academic staff, covering the university staff handbook, primary assignments of teaching, research, and community service, as well as conduct standards.

Afolabi issued a clear warning against examination malpractice and sexual harassment, stating that the union would not protect erring members. "Any member found culpable will face the union's ethics committee, while the university authorities may also apply appropriate sanctions, including dismissal," he said.

On career progression, he noted that advancement in academia depends heavily on quality research output and publications in reputable local and international journals. He also acknowledged recent government improvements in allowances for University workers as a positive step after years of stagnant pay, though he stressed that the newly recruited lecturers, welcome as they were, remained insufficient to meet the manpower needs of the University system. Retirements, deaths, and the emigration of academics abroad, he noted, had continued to create vacancies requiring constant replacement.

Afolabi also called for greater University autonomy and expanded access to research grants, arguing that Nigeria has the capacity to place many of its universities among the top ranked institutions in Africa with the right support.

Ibadan Zonal Coordinator Dr Biodun Olaniran charged the incoming lecturers to treat teaching as a core duty. "Lecturers must regard teaching as a sacred duty by helping students to think critically rather than merely preparing them to pass examinations," he stated. He urged new staff to pursue research addressing Nigeria's developmental challenges, including healthcare, food security, and energy, and to remain active in union activities as a means of protecting their welfare.