Call back our sacked LASU colleagues, ASUU tells Sanwo-Olu

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has demanded the immediate recall of their sacked colleagues yet to be reinstated at the Lagos State University (LASU).

The union made the call after its National Executive Council meeting held on August 17 and 18 at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State.

It expressed displeasure that “the undue elongation of court proceedings in matters of life and livelihood has created untold hardship on our affected members.”

The president of the union, Emmanuel Osodeke, in a statement on August 21, called on the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to ensure the recall of the sacked lecturers and “redeem his pledge to do the right thing at LASU.”

Five executive members of ASUU-LASU – Dr Isaac Akinloye Oyewumi (Chairman); Dr Adebowale Adeyemi-Suenu (Vice Chairman); Dr Anthony Dansu (Secretary); Dr Adeolu Oluwaseyi Oyekan (Assistant Secretary); and Dr Oluwakemi Adebisi Aboderin-Shonibare (Treasurer); were dismissed by Governing Council of the varsity based on frivolous charges brought against them.

In February 2022, the governing council of the university, led by David Sunmoni, reinstated the lecturers after an Appeal Committee, chaired by Deputy Vice-Chancellor Adenike Boyo, cleared them of all charges and recommended their reinstatement.

However, the governing council put the recall of the lecturers on hold just 48 hours after approving the recommendation.

The state government has yet to reinstate the lecturers.

BusinessDay reported in May 2024 that Residents of Ikoga-Zebbe in Badagry Local Government Area of the state had in a protest expressed their displeasure about the dismissal and called on Sanwo-Olu to intervene and reinstate the lecturers.

The Osodeke further decried the refusal of the Lagos state government to release the white paper on the visitation panel to LASU more than two years after the exercise.

“The seeming conspiracy of silence on this matter is unbecoming of a democratically elected government,” he said.

The union expressed displeasure and disappointment at the unwillingness of the respective visitors to arrest the unending management crises and victimisation in public varsities such as Kogi State University, Anyingba; Ebonyi State University, Ambrose Alli University, Federal University of Technology Owerri, and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University.

Osodeke said, “In these and other universities, our members are being victimized through such avenues as illegal termination of appointments, withholding of salaries, and denial of promotion. Without doubt, the undue elongation of court proceedings in matters of life and livelihood has created untold hardship on our affected members.”

Governing Councils and Visitors to state universities have therefore been urged to take special interest in the application of the Laws governing their respective institutions and ensure that tyrannical tendencies of certain Vice-Chancellors are curbed.

The union, to register their displeasure with the avoidable labour management crises in public universities, has declared Tuesday, September 10, as victimized lecturers’ day.

“The Day shall be used to solidarise with our un persecuted members across Nigerian universities,” Osodeke said.

ASUU decries the precipitous decline in the quality of life of Nigerians, adding that governments at all levels must live up to their primary responsibility of ensuring the security and welfare of the people over whom they govern.

“Beyond physical security, there must be food security, job security, cultural security, environmental security, and economic security including national control over the country’s resource endowments which are currently being pillaged by foreign marauders and agents for multinational corporations.”