Taraba State University (TSU) is mourning the loss of three esteemed senior lecturers within the span of just three days, a tragedy that has shaken both academic and non-academic staff alike.
The lecturers, Prof. Akporido Samuel, Dr. Kiliobas Sha’a, and Dr. Ibrahim Saleh Bali, were all pillars of the university community.
Prof. Samuel, the former Head of the Department of Chemical Sciences, tragically slumped and died in his office on Thursday.
Dr. Sha’a, a former Head of the Department of Biological Sciences, passed away at home after a long battle with high blood pressure.
Dr. Bali, who had been battling a prolonged illness, passed away at the Federal Medical Centre in Jalingo on Sunday morning.
The sudden deaths have sparked widespread shock and anxiety among the university’s staff. It has emerged that the late lecturers were among those advocating for better welfare and improved salaries from the state government, yet their calls for action had not been heeded.
Dr. Mbave Joshua, the chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at TSU, expressed his deep sorrow over the loss, describing the deaths as a stark reminder of the poor working conditions at the university.
He pointed out that many of the lecturers, including those who passed, struggled with financial challenges exacerbated by the rising cost of living, which has made it difficult for them to sustain themselves and their families.