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By Gabriel Dike
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) also staged a nationwide rally in support of several victimised members in some federal and state universities.
The ASUU Lagos zone rally was held at the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, where five union leaders, including the chairman, the secretary and three others were sacked by the then Governing Council led by Prof. Adebayo Ninolowo.
At the rally, seven branches in ASUU Lagos zone and four from Ibadan zone attended the event to press for the reinstatement of the sacked union leaders.
Union leaders and some students carried two big banners with the inscriptions, ‘ASUU Lagos zone demands immediate recall of the sacked ASUU-LASU five, release of the white paper of LASU visitation panel.’
The inscriptions on the placards include ‘Justice for our ASUU-LASU leaders,’ ‘7 years on, where is justice for ASUU-LASU five,’ and ‘Again, release government white paper on the visitation panel.’
Addressing newsmen, the ASUU Lagos zonal coordinator, Prof. Adelaja Odukoya recalled how the five union leaders were sacked without following due process.
Odukoya, who was represented by the ASUU UNILAG chairman, Prof. Kayode Adebayo, said the cases of victimisation of the authentic ASUU leaders in LASU has been in the public space and trending for about seven years.
He said prior to their dismissal in 2018, the trio of Drs. Tony Dansu, Adeolu Oyekan and Oluwakemi Aboderin-Shonibare approached the court to challenge their trials by the university.
“This was based on the premise that they were about to be illegally dismissed in the same manner Drs. Isaac Akinloye Oyewumi and Adebowale Adeyemi-Suenu were dismissed in 2017.
“The court ruled that under the Freedom of Information Act and other relevant laws cited, the university authorities had no such powers to proceed against officers of the union in these cases; that both parties were the creations of law, hence must respect it,” Odukoya stated.
According to him, the court noted that the issue was not due for judicial review since no damage had been done yet.
The zonal coordinator stressed that the two parties were enjoined to go and follow the path of the law for the sake of peace, order and good administration in LASU and its community.
Said he: “Despite this court ruling, the university still proceeded with the trials and eventually dismissed the ASUU-LASU leaders.”
He said the dismissed union leaders headed to the courts to enforce their rights, supported by ASUU national leadership which also imposed some sanctions on LASU.
Prof. Odukoya added that upon her assumption of office, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello and the Governing Council, revisited the issue of the disputed dismissals.
He revealed that the Governing Council on February 23, 2022, considered the report of its Committee on Grievances and concluded that the dismissals were unjust.
“It ordered the immediate reinstatement of the five officers of ASUU. The following day, however, news went round that the university administration had been directed from Alausa to put the implementation of the decision of the Council on hold.
“The alleged reason was that the issues were also presented before the visitation panel set up by the visitor. The panel completed its work in February 2022 and submitted the report in September of the same year.”
He called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and also the visitor to LASU for the immediate and unconditional reinstatement of the five unjustly dismissed ASUU-LASU officials, by lifting the embargo he placed on the implementation of the decision of LASU governing council.
After the briefing, the union carried the rally to the LASU’s senate building and for the next 30 minutes were singing and dancing, waiting for the VC to address them.
The Deputy VC (academic), Prof. Olufunso Omobitan, who later received the union leader, said he is a member of ASUU and was immediately asked which of the factions in ASUU-LASU he belongs to.
Omobitan informed the protesting union leaders that Governor Sanwo-Olu has asked the Commissioner of Tertiary Education to see him on the matter.
The deputy VC assured ASUU leaders that the case of the five sacked ASUU-LASU leaders would be resolved soon.
Reacting to the DVC’s position, ASUU treasurer, Prof. Olusiji Sowande informed him that if the government fails to heed their demands, the union would switch to the next option.
