Historical Background Of NUT

Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) was founded in July 1931 by the amalgamation of the first two Teachers‘s Associations in Nigeria, Lagos Union of Teachers (LUT) formed in 1925 with its founding President as Rev. Canon J.O Lucas and Association of Headmasters of Ijebu Schools (AHIS) led by Rev. I.O Ransome Kuti formed in 1926.

At an inaugural meeting of the two groups held at CMS Grammar School, Lagos on 8th and 9th July 1931, a constitution was drafted and ratified and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) was officially launched after accommodating other Teacher’s Associations from Agege, Ibadan, Abeokuta and other teachers from the East.

The associations of catholic and Protestant teachers added to the rising waves of unionism in the EasternRegion. This included Teachers’ Associations at Calabar, Onitsha, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Aba, Owerri, Ogoja and Abakaliki provinces. The Teachers’s Unions in Eastern Region had frontline leaders like Dr. Alvan Ikoku, T.K Cameron, E.E Esua.

At the inaugural meeting, the following Officers were elected

Rev. Israel Oladotun Ransome-Kuti – National President
Archdeacon J.O Lucas – National Vice President
Mr. T.K. Cameron – Honorary General Secretary

These three officers became the first pillars of the Nigeria Union of Teachers.

With the creation of States in 1967, the structure of the NUT was readjusted to reflect the different States in Nigeria in place of the regional structure and to achieve a truly National status of Teachers’s Union in Nigeria. The leaders held a meeting for the merger of the NUT and Northern States Teachers’ Union (NSTU). On 27th May, 1972 the merger of the NUT and NSTU was accomplished in Kaduna at the NNA School on Muri Road.

An official agreement was signed by the parties under the Chairmanship of the then Director, Institute of Eduaction, Ahmadu Bello Univeristy, Zaria Professor A.F.Ogunsola.

Following the creation of more State in the Country, NUT now has Thirty-Six State Wings, FCT Abuja Wing and the Federal Wing all with full-time Secretaries and complementary staff, with Seen Hundred and Seventy-Four (774) Local Government Area Branches all over the Country.

AKWA IBOM STATE WING

The Pioneer State Chairman was Sir Edem P. Udom, while Comrade Ikpe Jonny Obong was appointed the State Secretary.

Since then the following hae served as State Chairmen:

Elder Ime U. A.Andem 1994 - 2001
Elder Emmanuel E. George 2001 – March 2001
Deacon Augustine A. Akpaetor 2001 – 2008
Comrade Cyril C. Icho 2008 – 2009
Comrade (Elder) James E.Inim 2009 – 2013
Comrade Etim Etim Ukpong 2013 to Date

When Comrade Obong was transferred to the Anambra State Wing in March 1996, Comrade Kenneth Awagu was posted from Anambra to Akwa Ibom State Wing where he served till the return of Comrade Obong in September 1999.

Following the appointment of Obong Ikpe J. Obong as Secretary-General of the Union at the National Head Office in Abuja in August 2004, Late Comrade Emmanuel Adinyan from Cross River State Wing was appointed as the Co-ordinating Secretary of NUT, Akwa Ibom State Wing on the 8th February, 2005. WhenComrade Adinya was disengaged on 7th February, 2006, Comrade Sam Umo-Inyang an Assistant State Secretary was appointed as an Adminstrative Head.

In 2009, Comrade Umo-Inyang became the Substantive Secretary .He served till 2012 when he was posted to Enugu State Wing while the former Secretary of Enugu State, Comrade (Chief) Mike Ike Ene was deployed to NUT Akwa Ibom State Wing.

He was posted to Abuja as Acting Secretary General and later confirmed as the Secretary General in 2017. At the confirmation of Comrade Dr. Mike Ike Ene as the substantive Secretary General of NUT, Comrade Udeme Udoka Ebe was appointed as Acting State Secretary , NUT , Akwa Ibom State Wing.

On 1st July 2018 a substantive Secretary, Mr. Amirize Victor Okechukwu was appointed and posted to NUT, Akwa Ibom State Wing.