By Femi Adewale
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Lagos Zone, has called on Lagos State Government to unconditionally reinstate five sacked executive members of the union at the Lagos State University (LASU).
The Co-ordinator of the zone, Prof. Adelaja Odukoya, made the call at a press briefing organised by the union on Tuesday in Lagos.
After the press briefing, the union members held a peaceful rally around the Ojo Campus of LASU.
ASUU branches from various universities were represented at the rally.
The universities include University of Lagos, Kwara State University, University of Ilorin and Tai -Solarin University of Education.
The union members carried placards with inscriptions such as: “Dear Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Dr Tony Dansu’s Contributions to Education are Invaluable, Reslease, Reinstate Him and Others and Let Justice Prevail “.
The other inscriptions include: “LASU is Beneficiary of ASUU Struggles, Recall Our Staff”.
Odukoya added that the state government should lift the embargo it placed on implementation of a decision of LASU Governing Council on the matter.
“The governor should also release, without further delay, the report of the visitation panel, in the interest of public good.
“Lagosians whose taxes were used to fund the exercise ought to know its outcome and what the government intends to do about its recommendations.
“This is the path of honour and a healthy path to restoring LASU to the community of labour-friendly universities in Nigeria and beyond,” he said.
Odukoya said that from September 2017 to 2019, five executive members of ASUU-LASU were dismissed by the previous governing council.
“These officers of the union are Dr Isaac Oyewumi (Chairman), Dr Adebowale Adeyemi-Suenu (Vice Chairman), Dr Tony Dansu (Secretary), Dr Adeolu Oyekan (Assistant Secretary), and Dr Oluwakemi Aboderin-Shonibare (Treasurer).
“Prior to their dismissal in 2018, they approached the court to challenge their trials by the university.
“The court ruled that, under the Freedom of Information Act and other relevant laws cited, the university authorities had no such power to proceed against officers of the union in the case.
“Despite this court ruling, the university proceeded with the trials and eventually dismissed the ASUU-LASU leaders.
“We have decided that all members of our union have been prohibited from having anything to do with LASU or its members of staff until further notice,” he said.
Addressing the ASUU members, Prof. Olufunsho Omobitan, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), LASU said that the university was waiting for the white paper on the issue, from the state government.
Omobitan said that the institution had sent a message to the state governor and he ordered the state commissioner for tertitary education to get in touch with LASU.
“I believe things will work out positively very soon,” he said.
