The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ASUU

  • ASUU flays sharing formula of N200bn university fund

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Niger Delta University chapter on Thursday kicked against the formula adopted in the sharing of the Federal Government N200 billion to public universities.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the fund was disbursed by the Federal Government in the wake of the recent ASUU strike.

    Dr Beke Sese, ASUU chapter Chairman told NAN in Yenagoa that the sharing formula was done in favour of the federal universities.

    He said that the fund was shared 80 per cent to federal universities and 20 per cent to state universities, respectively, which he said was not equitable “and therefore, unacceptable’’.

    He argued that federal universities had advantage over their state counterparts in terms of infrastructure development and therefore it was proper for state universities to benefit more from the fund.

    According to him, disbursing more funds to state universities will bring them to the same level with the federal universities.

    He noted that since the money was a special intervention fund, it should be shared in a fair and equitable manner to all the public universities.

    He said that all the public universities contributed to the strike that brought about the money, stressing that there was no justification for the federal universities to benefit more.

    He said that the sharing formula was a deliberate attempt by certain individuals in the country to divide ASUU along federal and state universities line.

    The situation, the ASUU chapter chairman said would not augur well for the union.

  • Ondo Varsity reinstates suspended ASUU leaders

    Ondo Varsity reinstates suspended ASUU leaders

    The management of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) in Ondo State has recalled five leaders of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), who were suspended.

    In a letter signed by the registrar, the management withdrew the query earlier issued to the lecturers and directed them to resume at their duty posts.

    Lawyer to ASUU and the affected lecturers, Charles Titiloye, confirmed that they have been recalled, adding that his clients have told him to stay legal action against the university.

    The lecturers were suspended after ASUU’s zonal meeting in the university was allegedly disrupted by the institution’s internal security.

    AAUA-ASUU Chairman Dr. Busuyi Mekusi and another lecturer, Mr. Olusegun Ota Bolarinwa, were allegedly assaulted.

    The Commissioner of Police ordered a probe of the incident.

    Mekusi and four other ASUU members were suspended by the university.

    Last month, Titiloye served a statutory one month pre-action notice on AAUA Vice-Chancellor Prof. Femi Mimiko on the lecturers’ intention to challenge their suspension at the Industrial Court.

    The one month notice expired last week.

    The lecturers resumed work on Monday.

  • Ondo Varsity reinstates suspended ASUU Leaders

    Authorities of Adekunle Ajasin University,Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) Ondo State, have recalled five leaders of Academic Staff Union of University(ASUU) suspended last Month by the University Management.

    In a letter signed by the registrar of the institution, R.T Olotu, the AAUA management withdrew the earlier query issued to the suspended lecturers and directed them to resume back to their duty post.
    Lawyer to ASUU and the affected lecturers, Charles Titiloye confirmed the development.

    He noted that his clients have also briefed him to stay further legal action against the University in the law Court since the authorities has rescinded the unlawful suspension of the lecturers.

    It would be recalled that the lecturer were suspended last Month after the University aborted the zonal meeting of ASUU slated for the University.

    The ASUU AAUA Chairman Dr Busuyi Mekusi and Olusegunota Bolarinwa were allegedly assaulted during the meeting by the University internal Security which prompted Ondo state Commissioner of Police to order investigation.

  • Ogun: OOU lecturers protest irregular salary payment

    Ogun: OOU lecturers protest irregular salary payment

    •Boycott classes

    Lecturers at the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye in Ogun State yesterday protested the irregular payment of their salary, allowances and poor funding of the institution by the state government.

    The lecturers gathered at the Mini campus by 10:15 a.m. and marched to the permanent site, seven kilometres away.

    They said for three years, their salary had been irregular, “making it impossible for them to have financial plans.”

    The lecturers said they would shun lectures indefinitely until the authorities address their grievances.

    Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), OOU branch, Dr. Deji Agboola accused the management of being insensitive to their plight and urged Governor Ibikunle Amosun to make the payment of their salary one of his priorities.

    Agboola said: “In the last three years, salaries have been irregular. This unfortunate trend has persisted, thus making our members irresponsible and unable to meet their socio-personal and financial obligations. It is embarrassing that our wards at university-run institutions, such as the OOU Staff School and OOU International School are sent home for non-payment of fees.

    “This has embarrassed and ridiculed our members, some of whom cannot even pay their rents and meet other basic needs. This situation is capable of exposing our members to the temptation of unethical practices. It is ironic that a university that is waging a war against such unethical practices could be failing in its primary responsibility of paying the salary of its workers, knowing full well that this is their main source of income.

    “While we are mindful of the implication of any action that may cripple the university’s calendar, we can no longer condone an insensitive and harsh working condition, which is injurious to our members’ productivity. We are tired of working for two months and receiving one month salary. Our members have affirmed that they have been deprived the opportunity to come to work, as salaries are not paid.”

    ASUU Zonal Coordinator Dr. Adesola Nasir said the state failed to develop infrastructure in the institution and assured the lecturers of the support of the ASUU national secretariat.

    At the permanent site, the lecturers presented their grievances to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Saburi Adesanya, to be forwarded to the governor.

    Adesanya pleaded with them not to shun classes, saying the management was would correct the anomalies in salary payment.

  • We’re still waiting for V-Cs to confirm N200bn intervention fund — ASUU boss

    We’re still waiting for V-Cs to confirm N200bn intervention fund — ASUU boss

    The President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Dr. Nasir Fagge, has disclosed that the union is still waiting for the vice-chancellors of Nigerian universities to confirm the N200bn intervention fund deposited by the Federal Government with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) meant for the funding of universities in the country.

    According to him, allocation letters of N200billon deposit has been giving to all the vice-chancellors of the universities, but we are waiting for the university authorities to access the money in CBN before we take another decision.

    Fagge stated this yesterday while delivering a lecture, entitled “ASUU Strike, Lesson learnt,” at a symposium organised by the Education Right Campaign (ERC) and held at SUB building, University of Ibadan (UI), Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

    He said when the money is accessed by the VCs of the universities, that is when the Implementation Monitoring Committee (IMC) will now withdraw the money for disbursement for the highlighted projects.

    Fagge affirmed that when the fund is disbursed to all the universities by IMC, ASUU will also set up a Central Implementation Monitoring Committee at the national level, while an ASUU Implementation Monitoring Committee will also be set up at the branch level in order for the funds to be judiciously utilised.

    The union boss also disclosed that: “We have also said that the university based budget committees should include all the unions in each institution, that is, ASUU, NASU, SSANU, NAT and the students’ union. In addition to that, we have directed all branches of ASUU to set up implementation monitoring committees in the various universities”

    The ASUU President warned that if the money is not accessed by the vice-chancellors or released by the IMC, the union will take an appropriate action.

    He noted that:” The Federal Government of this country cannot be trusted and that is part of the lessons learnt during our six-month strike. In Nigeria, we are running a sick government run by sick leaders who are only interested in their personal gains as against the development of the education sector and the country at large.

    “It is still the same set of corrupt leaders that are recycling themselves to govern this country since the days of our founding fathers like, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe and Alhaji Ahmadu Bello. Imagine during Chief Awolowo government, he budgeted 50 per cent for the education sector, but here we are still begging the government to budget 26 per cent for the education sector and they are still complaining.”

  • ‘Students of state varsities to pay more’

    ‘Students of state varsities to pay more’

    Students of state-owned universities may pay more fees from the next academic session, if the prayers of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of the universities are granted.

    The Chairman of the Pro-Chancellors Forum, Justice Aldophos Karibi-White, said yesterday that the need for the upward review of fees being charged by the universities was to enable the institutions meet the requirements of teaching and research work.

    Karibi-White, who spoke at the 3rd Biennial Conference of Pro-Chancellors in Minna, Niger State, said the state-owned universities would have to hike fees if they were to carry out their mandates.

    “We at the Committee of Pro-Chancellors have observed that the federal and state governments are politicising the issue of payment of fees in the universities.

    “For the state universities to attain the world class standard, there is need for upward review of the fees charged.

    “It is common knowledge that private primary and secondary schools charge higher fees than many of the state-owned universities,” he said.

    Karibi-White expressed worried about the implementation of the agreement reached between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), saying proprietors of the state universities were not part of the negotiations.

    He said: “I think it is vital for the survival of the university system and the realisation of the goals of university education to devise an equitable system to curb and control the appetite of ASUU members.

    “The Federal Ministry of Education (FMoE) should know their proper role in university administration and confine itself within the scope. It (FMoE) is not the employer of the workers of state-owned universities and cannot lawfully and rightly intervene,” Karibi-White said.

     

    Declaring the conference open, Niger State Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu said state universities should be more proactive and innovative in sourcing funds to make them self-sustaining and independent, without compromising standard and ethics.

    According to him, “I believe funding is one of the critical challenges of state-owned universities. But this should not be an excuse for lowering standard.”

    The governor urged the universities to embrace the private public partnership in addressing the challenges of infrastructural development on the campus, while research should be given its place in the scheme of things.

    Aliyu said government is prepared to give a prospective investor, who wants to establish a university, 100 hectares free of charge, if the development can start promptly.

  • Our story, by VC

    Our story, by VC

    The Vice-Chancellor of the Adekunle Ajasin University in Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, Prof. Olufemi Mimiko, has met with students’ leaders on the disagreement between the management and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which led to the institution’s closure. RICHARD ADURA-ILESANMI (200-Level Mass Communication) reports.

    LAST Saturday, Vice Chancellor (VC) of the Adekunle Ajasin University in Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, Prof Olufemi Mimiko, took a bold step to douse tension on campus. He met with students’ leaders to explain the management’s side on its face off with the local chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

    The three-hour interactive meeting tagged: VC-students’ Forum, was held in the Olusegun Obasanjo Multipurpose Hall.

    Prof Mimiko spoke on some controversial issues, including the alleged non-payment of staff salary for five months and the infrastructural drive of his administration, which he said would make the university a 21st century institution.

    Denying that the management was owing staff, the VC pointed out that before the ASUU national strike began last July, there was no dispute between the university and its academic staff. He claimed that the lecturers unjustifiably joined the strike.

    “Despite going on illegal strike, the management was magnanimous to pay their salaries in July and August, when, ordinarily, they ought not to have been paid because they deliberately abandoned their work,” he said.

    The VC said the management also paid December salary before the Christmas, a gesture he said the lecturers should appreciate.

    Prof Mimiko said the September, October and November salaries, which the workers are demanding, were uncalled for, stressing that it would be unreasonable for the management to pay for the period because the lecturers were not at work.

    He said: “The workers cannot just come from a six-month strike and ask the management to give them their pay checks. We don’t believe this is right; we are not going to do that just because other universities are doing it. However, we have told them (lecturers) that we are going to pay, but at least, they must do something to show that we are responsible people. Let us work and get students to write their examination; get the final year students to graduate; then we can now sit down and see how we are going to pay. That is our position.”

    About two weeks ago, the ASUU chairman, Busuyi Mekusi, and his colleagues were said to have incited students against the management and the security personnel known as Sheriff Deputies.

    The students allegedly mobbed the security officials. Although, no security personnel was hurt, the uniforms of many were allegedly torn and shoes thrown away by their students. They also allegedly locked the school gate for hours, shouting: “We do not want Sheriff Deputies on our campus anymore”.

    On the expansion of infrastructure, Prof Mimiko said more hostels were being built through public private partnership. He said the school got a private firm, which promised to deliver 6,000-bed space hostel before September, after which another hostel would be delivered. It was gathered that 80 per cent of students live outside the campus.

    He added that work had commenced on the hostels being built by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Ondo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (OSOPADEC), assuring that the structures would be delivered soon.

    The VC urged the students’ leaders to remind their colleagues on the need to imbibe good character, which he said was one of the values a responsible student must possess. He hailed the students’ leaders for their maturity in reacting to the lecturers’ strike and advised them not to be used by anybody to disrupt the peace on campus.

    The meeting afforded the students to bear their minds on the challenges they face. Speaking, President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), Julius Adeniyi, urged the VC to improve on students’ welfare.

    Some of the students, who attended the meeting, described it as timely, saying it gave them insight into the issues leading to the crisis. The meeting was also attended by top management staff of the university.

     

  • On bent knees

    Students of the Nasarawa State University (NSUK), Keffi living off-campus are being asked by their landlords to pay their rent for the period of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike. KAMALUDEEN ABUBAKAR and SANI MAKAMA (200-Level Geography) report that the students are seeking their landlords’ understanding on the matter.

    WHEN they returned to school last month after an almost six-month Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike, they were hopeful of continuing with their studies without interruption. But, the hopes of students of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK) may be dashed by shylock landlords, who are asking them for rent for period of the ASUU strike.

    Many students thought the landlords would not ask for the rent, others who foresaw the development, thought it would be reduced.

    The landlords are not ready to write off or slash the rent. The school had barely resumed when some property owners started asking the students to pay their rents or face eviction.

    CAMPUSLIFE learnt that students in off-campus hostels pay higher. For instance, a one-room apartment costs between N90,000 and N130,000 per session. This is higher than what their counterparts pay for the same facility in the College of Education, Akwanga and Nasarawa State Polytechnic, Lafia.

    Students, who spoke to our correspondents, said paying for the period they were not in school would hurt their parents. They urged their landlords to be understanding.

    Some landlords wanted them to pay half of the rent, but others insisted on full payment.

    Victoria Agene, a 200-Level student living in a hostel in Angwan Lambu, said occupants of the lodge held a meeting whose outcome was communicated to the caretaker, Gidado Muhammad. It was learnt that Gidado promised to take the matter to the property owner.

    Victoria said: “After series of complaints, we held a meeting to discuss the development and resolved that only half of the rent will be paid for the strike period. We have passed the message across to the landlady, and whatever her answer may be, I don’t see myself paying full rent because I don’t have money.”

    Some students, whose properties were looted by burglars during the strike, said they would rather spend the money to replace their stolen person effects.

    “I have spent money to buy mattress and other things stolen from my room. My parents would not even listen to me if I ask them for money to pay rent. So, my landlord must show understanding,” a student said.

    A landlord, who did not want his name in print, said: “I have discussed with my tenants and we resolved that no one would pay full rent. Not only that; I urged others landlords to do same because students only stayed for three months in school last year.”

    Mosses Attah, chairman Joint Campus Committee, an arm of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), said the union would schedule a meeting with all the landlords and representatives of the school to discuss the development.

    Suleiman Adamu, a 300-Level Economics Education and an occupant of Alabama City Estate in High Court area, said his landlord had told occupants to pay half of the rent. He said: “I acknowledge the magnanimity of our landlord, who just agreed that we should pay only a half of our rent.”

    Lack of water and electricity took centre stage when the landlord of Jarkasa Palace visited the building to collect the rent. Occupants criticised the landlord for his nonchalant attitude, threatening not to pay until “our challenges are solved”.

    Some rooms in the building have no burglar proof, while the house is yet to be connected to electricity source. There is also no water in the building. “We are not paying any rent, either full or half, because we enjoy nothing in the house,” an occupant in the compound, who craved for anonymity, said.

    The traditional ruler of Ungwan Lambu, Alhaji Mika’il Muhammad, urged students to be patient, assuring to speak to their landlords to collect half rent. He said: “As a parent, who knows what parents go through in catering for their children in school, I have discussed with occupants of my house and resolved that no student should pay full rent.”

    Ibrahim Turaki, a 200-Level student and an occupant of Pinging Logde, said his landlord showed sympathy with the occupants and told them not to pay the rent.

    However, other landlords have stuck to their guns, insisting that their tenants must pay full rent. A tenant of Covenant Lodge in High Court area, Maryam Muhammad, said her landlord gave occupants a deadline within which they must pay the rent in full or risk eviction.

  • New issues to watch

    •ASUU/FGN MoU

    NE of the leaders of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has registered displeasure over the attitude of the Federal Government towards the implementation of the Memorandumof Understanding (MoU) signed last November regarding the new agreements reached with the union.

    The MoU largely covers the implementation of the Needs Based Assessment of Public Universities as well as other areas of the ASUU 2009 agreement.

    After the devastating effect of the lengthy strike of last year (July-December) on the academic calendar, the last thing we need to here is some foot-dragging by the government over implementation. The only way to make up for the precious time students lost at home is for the MoU to walk.

    Since the Federal Government has already made a commitment to implementing it, then there should be no further delay. There is a lot of work to do to spend the N200 billion meant for this year. The implementation committee should settle to work. We cannot afford another strike. Since schools resumed between December and early January, some have not been able to settle down because of internal crisis. Any cause for ASUU to call for a national strike again will be a terrible blow on such schools. We must not allow it happen

    Osun govt’s peace efforts

    The news of some pupils of Baptist High School, in Iwo, Osun State, appearing in school in choir uniforms was really hilarious. I had a good laugh when I heard of it. I tried to imagine what went through the minds of teachers and others as the pupils filed into school in the ‘uniforms.’

    But jokes apart – because the act was not a joke but a protest – I know that the pupils could have acted on their own. There were some adults who must have instigated them to do so. However, that is not the focus of this article. What made me remember the incident is the effort by Governor Rauf Aregbesola to make peace with the various groups who have had one scruple or the other with the government’s education reforms.The reforms have resulted in the merger of some schools, introduction of similar uniforms for all levels of the school – elementary, middle and high schools. Like happens in almost all cases, not all stakeholders are happy about the changes.

    I commend the peace initiative and I hope something positive will come out of it.

    A call to commitment (new Rivers Education Strategy Plan/Charters)

    Really, we need to get rid of this ‘developing country’ status. We simply have all it takes to get there. Almost on daily basis, we hear of new projects and policies designed to take us to the Promised Land. And when closely examined, they are highly elevating and seem very good if only they are well implemented.

    The Rivers State Ministry of Education has come up with a strategy plan for the next three years. It details 28 objectives, the activities to fulfil them, the ministries, units and departments to get them done, and the time lines to achieve them.

    It is simply impressive. Now, we have a document by which to measure what Rivers State is doing in the education sector. It provides a focus for all the reforms that have been taking place in the state’s education sector since 2007.

    The state has taken the step towards strengthening the foundation of its education system. It has gone beyond building beautiful structures to working out the fine details of how to institutionalise principles and practices that will ensure learning outcomes are achieved. Just like the government has made efforts to make the learning environment conducive and meet the learning needs of the pupils, it has followed up with teacher supply and training. The Quality Assurance Agency is already up and ready to run and the school-Based Management Committees (SBMC) have a guidebook to work.

    The service charters for public primary and secondary schools, the second document presented alongside with the strategy plan, spells out the quality of education service delivery to be expected from these schools.

    However, it is not as if all things are so rosy and there are no problems. At the launch of the Strategy Plan on Monday, Governor Roltimi Amaechi lamented the paucity of funds that has resulted in the delay in paying teachers, and completion of many education projects. He also said the Quality Assurance Agency has not been able to start working because of lack of funds. That has to be taken care of urgently so the strategy plan can be implemented.

    Also, the Commissioner for Education, Dame Alice Lawrence-Nemi, has her work cut out for her. For the remaining part of her tenure, she has to ensure that the stipulated time lines on the strategy plan are kept.

    It a huge task, but one that if well fulfilled, we as Nigerians will be glad, and it will set a precedent that it is indeed possible for policies to work in this country.

     

  • Varsity, ASUU row deepens

    Varsity, ASUU row deepens

    The management of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) in Ondo State and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have been squabbling since the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Femi Mimiko, mounted the saddle five years ago. Last week, the institution suspended the ASUU Chairman, Dr Busuyi Mekusi, and five others for allegedly instigating  students crisis about two weeks ago. Leke Akeredolu reports.

    •Union chair, others suspended for alleged incitement

    The feud between the management of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA) in Ondo State and the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) came to a head last Friday, with the suspension of the union’s Chairman, Dr Busuyi Mekusi, and five others.

    Their suspension followed the query they were issued by the Registrar, Mr Bamidele Olotu, on the institution’s behalf.

    Others are the Vice-Chairman, Dr Sola Fayose, treasurer Dr. Dorcas Alese, Investment Secretary Dr. Agboola Adetula and two extended members of the executive, Dr. Benson Igboin and Oluwasegunota Bolarinwa. They were accused of instigating the students to riot two weeks ago. The university’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr. Victor Akinpelumi, said the suspended teachers would soon face a committee set up to investigate the students crisis.

    The teachers were asked to stay off the campus until the panel concludes its job.

    But, Mekusi told The Nation that the management’s action was “inappropriate and a breach of their fundamental human right.” He also denied the allegations against them, claiming that “they are merely being victimised.”

    In line with the management’s directive, security men prevented the lecturers from entering the campus on Monday. After a heated argument, they were said to have been allowed in, but the lecturers reportedly turned back.

    There have been no love lost between the management and ASUU since Prof. Femi Mimiko assumed office as Vice-Chancellor in 2009.

    Two weeks ago, ASUU, which hosted its members from other universities, had a face off with the university’s security team known as Sheriff Deputies, Mekusi and Bolarinwa, a former Speaker of the House of Assembly now a lecturer in the institution, were reportedly assaulted during the squabble.

    Their vehicle’s tyres were deflated by the security officials, who claimed the ASUU team spurned security checks.

    But, ASUU, through its National President, Dr. Nasir Fagge, has accused Prof Mimiko of directing the security officials to disrupt the union’s meeting.

    In a statement on management’s action, Akinpelumi said the ASUU officials were suspended because they failed to report the alleged assault of Mekusi and Bolarinwa to the authority.

    “Prof Mimiko believes that they (lecturers) should have reported the incident to him if truly they were assaulted because nobody was there when the incident happened. How can lecturers be promoting violence and ordering the students to cause mayhem? You see some of these students, after they heard what their lecturers said, that they won’t teach them again because they were attacked by security officials, went rioting because of what they just passed through during the six-month ASUU’s strike.

    “The management was very sad that some lecturers started telling the students that they (ASUU) have been attacked by security officials so they will not teach again for the next one week and that the students must take action since they have been attacked. They (lecturers) said since they can be assaulted, none of the students is safe from the Sheriff Deputies’ harassment.

    “The management expected that the union should have reported the attack to them on that fateful day because the management was also holding a meeting at the school campus. Prof Mimiko was even in that meeting. But rather, they preferred to take laws into their hands by inciting the students to protest. Who knows what would have happened but for God’s grace that helped in forestalling the violence? ASUU did not bother if students would be killed during such violence; they didn’t think of the negative effects of their action on the students, institution and the university’s host community

    “Six of them were given query because of their involvement in the crisis. There are a lot of ways to handle this issue and the management has used one of it. They will stay away from school pending the outcome of the committee to be set up by the university authority very soon.”

    Reacting Mekusi accused management of playing the ostrich, saying it should have suspended the union rather than handpicking only six.

    Explaining ASUU’s role in the crisis, he said: “The management lied that we incited the students. What really happened on that day was that we held our congress and the union resolved that we should drive in a motorcade to the school gate where I will address my colleagues. That was how those officials came and the crisis broke out.

    “I and Mr. Bolarinwa were attacked. We were rushed to the hospital for treatment. The only time I interacted with the students was when I was coming back from hospital and I was about entering the campus. The students were already at the school gate and they insisted that I must address them on the situation of things. I told them to remain calm and maintain peace. I also informed them that the issue is about ASUU and not students and that we would take the necessary step.

    “So, the management was only looking for means of covering up their atrocities. Have they forgotten that the leader of the Sheriff Deputies apologised to the union that his men were only acting according to instruction by the school authority? How can we incite the students? Did we invite them to our meeting? The management is only victimising six of us and we are only punished because we are the leaders of union.”

    Mekusi said ASUU is strategising on the issue, adding that it would rather keep mum for now.

    He described the management’s committee as “criminal,” saying it would be wrong for the administration to sit on such issue.

    None of the Sheriff Deputies agreed to speak. They said they had been directed not to speak with reporters.

    When The Nation visited the campus, many of the lecturers also declined comments.

    But, a lecturer, who pleaded that his name should not be mentioned, said Prof Mimiko was acting as an autocrat.

    “You see, my brother, this is one of the effects when you place your brother or relatives in such a position. He has been acting because he knows he is untouchable. He believes that if he even sets the school on fire, nobody dares query him. He has turned himself to a tin god and everybody is afraid of him. If he (Prof Mimiko) is coming and lecturers are discussing, they will immediately run away,” the source said.

    “We are not in the military era but workers in Akure are being ruled by a military man. He has forgotten that one day he will leave office and another set of person will become vice chancellor.

    “Should I say it is a payback time for us lecturers?” another source said, “because when he (Prof Mimiko) was denied this appointment by the late governor Olusegun Agagu, we fought for him, we mobilised and supported his brother to become a governor but in return, we are being owed four months salary and we are also being victimised.”

    Another lecturer said they were ready for the worst, adding that they are in support of all actions taken by the union.

    The Students Union President, Comrade Olugbenga Adeniyi, has blamed both parties for the crisis, urging them to sheathe their swords.

    He blamed the management for allegedly directing the security officials to stop ASUU from meeting on campus, and accused some lecturers of poisoning students’ mind.

    Adeniyi said: “I was not in the school on that day because I was sick and from what I learnt, the security officials were acting according to the instruction from above. I also gathered that when the crisis broke out, one of the lecturers went to the classes and informed students that the security officials slapped their lecturers. I think this is wrong. This was what prompted the students to go on rampage.

    “I am not in support of the Sheriff Deputies and I also kicked against the students for rioting. But I am begging the two parties to resolve their differences because no student is ready to go home again, after spending almost six months at home due to ASUU strike.”