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Felix Ikem, Nsukka
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) branch has given an insight over a melee that ensued when the Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly Hon. Uchenna Okafor visited the institution to deliver a public lecture series.
Daily Sun gathered that the honorable Speaker was invited by the Department of Political Science of the institution were he graduated nearly two decades ago as a guest lecturer on the occasion of first Distinguished Personality Lecture of the Department on Wednesday 11th March.
However, as soon as the speaker and his entourage touched down at the political science department, ASUU-UNN members numbering over 1000, led by their president Comrade Christian Opata matched down to the department chanting solidarity songs, and asked the speaker to cancel the public lecture because of their on going two week warning strike, or take the event to a venue outside the school premises.
The ASUU members got infuriated when they saw the Speaker going to the administrative block for a courtesy call on the Vice Chancellor as parts of protocol for the public lecture, they matched down to Princess Alexandra Auditorium venue of the lecture, chase away the students who was seated already for the lecture and occupied the venue.
Speaking to Daily Sun on Thursday in Nsukka, Mr Opata chairman of Asuu UNN branch said that the union had a congress yesterday (Wednesday) in UNN to brief members on the resolution of ASUU National Executive Council held last week at Enugu State University of Science and Technology.
According to him, “recall that on Monday, 9th March this year ASUU begun a two week nation wide warning strike in all public University in Nigeria to press home their demands against Federal government. The decision was reached by all members of ASUU, so we all agreed here in UNN after a congress that no lecturer should near any classroom, no lectures, no meeting, no conference and no examination and the Congress mandated the Union to confront any member who disobey the order and discipline the lecturer accordingly.
“So, yesterday the Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, Honorable Okafor
with his entourage wanted to hold a public lecture series with students and staff of department of political science, but we said no because a public lecture in UNN is an academic program, as such it can not take place during the period of ASUU warning strike.
“If they take the program to church or hotel premises it doesn’t concern us, but any venue that is directly under the school administration will not be tolerated,” he said.
Mr Opeta however, said that the union has no personal issues with the Honorable Speaker, the school authority, or the host department but was only enforcing ASUU nation wide two week warning strick order.
Daily Sun also gathered that, after about three hours face-off between ASUU members and Prof Jonah Onuoha the head, Department of Political Science and host of the occasion, the event was however relocated to Anglican Christ Chapel hall UNN were it went on smoothly.
