Former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Festus Iyayi, was killed on Tuesday in a ghastly auto accident involving the convoy of Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State.
Iyayi, an academic, activist, writer and author was on his way with others to participate in the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of ASUU expected to declare an end to the five-month strike that has paralysed academic activities on campuses.
Born in 1947, in Ugbegun, Ishan, Edo State, Iyayi was ASUU president from 1986 to 1988 when the union was banned by the General Ibrahim Babangida regime.
Iyayi was detained for months by the regime.
A well known author with four books to his credit – Violence, The Contract, Heroes, and Awaiting Court Martial, Iyayi in 1988 won the Commonwealth Prize for Literature for his book, Heroes.
Until his death, he was a professor of Business Administration at the University of Benin (UNIBEN).
The lead security vehicle in the convoy of the governor rammed into the ASUU bus Iyayi and others boarded from Benin for the ASUU meeting in Kano.
The accident happened along the Lokoja-Abuja Expressway.
He died on the spot while others such as UNIBEN ASUU chairman, Tony Emina–Monye and Dr. Iloh were immediately rushed to the hospital.
Meanwhile, Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, has expressed deep shock at the sudden death of Iyayi and called on players in the education sector, including the Federal Government and striking lecturers, to rededicate themselves to the pursuit of excellence at the tertiary level in honour of the deceased.
The governor, in a statement by Felix Ofou, his Press Secretary, said the highest honour that the late Iyayi deserved was the return to the pursuit of academic excellence in our universities and other higher institutions, arguing that anything short of this would have meant that the late activist might have died in vain.
Uduaghan recalled the heroic struggle and sacrifice of the late Professor and author for the working class as well as the university system, pointing out that the history of strikes and strive for higher academic goals in the country cannot be said to be complete without glowing references to the part played by the deceased while still alive.
The Delta State chief executive, an alumnus of the University of Benin, paid glowing tributes to his alma mater for providing a place of pride for the renowned poet, author and academic colossus who engineered new heights and defined the intellectual and working class struggle in a manner never experienced before his time; standing strong and speaking truth to power and championing the cause of the oppressed.
He, therefore, commiserated with the family of the deceased, UNIBEN, the people of Edo State, ASUU, the academic community and the nation at large on the painful loss and asked God to grant them the fortitude to bear the untimely passage of such a titanic labour leader.
