Last Friday, some lecturers in the Lagos State University (LASU) floated a parallel Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to chart a new path for the union, a move that was immediately rejected by its national body. ADEGUNLE OLUGBAMILA, in this report, x-rays another aspect of the unfolding game of superiority between the two leaderships.
The last may not yet have been heard of the crisis rocking the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Lagos State University (ASUU-LASU).
Apparently tired of the standoff, some concerned lecturers inaugurated a new ‘ASUU-LASU’ executive. They claimed their action was necessitated by the expiration of the immediate past executive led by Dr Akinloye Oyewunmi in February 2018 on one part, and the need to chart a new direction for the union, on the other.
However, it appears that the circumstances that led to the ‘death’ of the immediate past executive, is already haunting its ‘successor’, even at the very beginning.
The Nation learned that the new executive led by Dr Adeolu Ibrahim Bakare, has already hit the ground running by scheduling an official meeting with LASU management. Bakare-led executive is also currently mapping out strategies towards reuniting warring members, our correspondent further learned.
Surprisingly, however, the national body of the union has declared the new executive ‘illegal’, describing it as a ‘parallel union’ beholden to management.
Although, this appears to run in contrast to the thinking of many backers of the new executive majority of who believe the urgency to give a new direction to ASUU-LASU, propelled the initiative.
The development has also resulted in sundry interpretations of ASUU Constitution, particularly on procedures for conducting branch elections. The proponents of the new ‘ASUU-LASU’ are justifying their action in view of the situation the union currently found itself.
They are also of the strong belief that union Constitution does not envisage the crisis that erupted in ASUU-LASU; hence their submission that the Constitution is archaic and long overdue for review.
However, ASUU insists the document is valid, and encapsulates unforeseen circumstances, like the ASUU-LASU’s scenario.
Background
In October 2017, the university’s Governing Council led by the then Prof Adebayo Ninalowo, dismissed Oyewunmi and his deputy Dr Adebowale Adeyemi-Suenu, alongside 15 others.
The former was dismissed for allegedly demanding N50, 000 bribe from students while the latter was sacked for unilaterally altering the results of 12 students already advised to withdraw by university Senate.
However, the union had disagreed with management’s stance, describing the allegations as trumped up, and saying the duo were victimised because of union matters. Interestingly, more heads were to roll barely two years afterwards.
In September last year, the then Secretary of ASUU- LASU, Dr Tony Dansu; his assistant Adeolu Oyekan and Treasurer Dr Oluwakemi Aboderin-Shonibare, were also axed by the Council.
Both Dansu and Abodering-Shonibare were relieved of their jobs for being in possession of some documents considered ‘confidential’ by the management.
Mgt absolves self
Against insinuations in some quarters, the leadership of the university has washed its hands clean.
“The university’s image maker, Ademola Adekoya, denied management’s involvement on the matter.
“The university management has nothing to say on the issue. This is purely a union matter and management doesn’t interfere in union matters.
Members of ASUU-LASU know what to do. Though the university management is yet to receive any official communication on the election.
Sacked executive react
Meanwhile, Dansu has described as illegal the constitution of the new executive. He insists that the Oyewumi-led executive still remains officially recognised.
Hinging his argument on Items i,ii,iii on the supplementary rule on branch elections on P51 of ASUU Constitution, Dansu noted that that aspect empowers ASUU-NEC (National Executive Council) to give the date of the branch election and also has the right to unilaterally withhold the election in the event that any of its branches is crisis-ridden.
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Said Dansu: “They cannot call themselves ASUU-LASU. I think they are calling themselves ‘Concerned lecturers of LASU’. They know that that election was an illegality.
Even if the situation gets so bad, it is only ASUU-NEC that can come to the rescue. Besides, we still have four officers on ground: Financial Secretary; Welfare Officer, Investment Officer and the immediate past chairman (IPC), and they are still empowered by law to call a congress
“They have issued up to three unsigned documents. By tradition, there is no ASUU document that is not signed. They have reasons because they know the implication.”
Mixed reactions
Nonetheless, supporters of the new executive are still holding to their ground. They are saying the new executive was a ‘child of circumstances’ which must be birthed to save the union.
Dr Bukola Adedoyin of the Department of English Department recalled that the dismissal of both the union’s chairman and his deputy, and the expiration of their tenure in February 2018 left the union on the brink of extinction.
Adedoyin said: “It’s a pity that ASUU Edict did not take into account the scenario that unraveled in LASU.
“We had to resort to self-help because by the union’s Edict, only the chairman or the vice can direct the secretary of the union to call for Congress. Now with both already dismissed, no one could call a congress. ASUU-LASU was in limbo.
“What ASUU would have done after the chairman and the vice were dismissed was to show concern to us members.
Regardless of whoever was right or wrong, some of us had expected that that ASUU delegation that visited us to mediate in the crisis would have directed that a by-election be conducted so we can have replacements for the sacked officers.
With that, we would have another new executive in place, while ASUU continues to pursue justice in court for our sacked colleagues.’’
Adedoyin added that the unprecedented achievements of the management is enough pointer that ASUU must adopt LASU model.
“National will wake up one day to see that the LASU model should be adopted. Peace and stability in our university will speak for us.
We recorded peace and progress in LASU when we took our destiny in our hands. Please visit LASU and see massive development in personnel and infrastructure.
It’s a joint effort of staff, students and the university management. It’s all inclusive. Every union saw it that way except the (sacked) executive, “ Adedoyin said.
Going down memory lane, a lecturer from the Faculty of Sciences, who pleaded not to be mentioned, threw his weight behind the sacked executive.The source said there were precedents to justify why Oyewunmi’s executive still remains authentic.
“Remember that Dr (Kabir) Akinyemi and Dr (Adekunle) Idris (both former ASUU-LASU chairmen) overstayed because of the crisis the union was having with management during their era.
The national ASUU still recognised them even after their tenure had expired. So that has always been the norm in ASUU and that also applies to the present situation. It is still Oyewunmi’s faction that ASUU would recognise until the prevailing crisis is resolved.”
A professor from the Faculty of Education, who pleaded not to be mentioned, lampooned ASUU for running the union like a one man show.
“But we are all intellectuals. That cannot work. That is why ASUU is having problem in almost every university today.
“That’s why other unions are doing better than ASUU. They don’t just declare strike. They discuss and negotiate. They see themselves as partners in progress in the university project.
But ASUU will claim to know it better than any vice chancellor even when the VC has come with brilliant ideas.”
Another teacher blames the national body of the party for being more interested in members check off dues rather than the substances of the matter at stake.
“To ASUU national, the executive is more important than the member of the branch even when evidences abound that the union is being misrepresented.
National body closes its eyes to executive excesses so that collection of dues will continue. They care less about crises caused by the so executive. They will come as a team to defend any atrocity taking all branch members to be fools.”
Dr Tunji Azeez from the Department of Threatre Arts and Music cautioned that both factions must tread softly over the matter.
Nonetheless, he said he prefers to sit on the fence.
He said: “My position is that naturally, nature abhors vacuum. With no hope in sight for a resolution of the rift between the union and the university management over several months, people can’t remain in limbo.
They have a right to come together and chart a path on how to govern them.
“This action will force us to sit down and rebuild the union. It definitely won’t be anytime soon but it will happen. I knew it’s bound to happen despite all efforts to prevent it.
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