Strike: ASUU pickets UNILAG, UNIOSUN for intimidating lecturers
NEWS DIGEST–The Academic Staff Union of Universities on Monday alleged that some of its members in the University of Lagos were being intimidated by UNILAG Pro Chancellor, Dr Wale Babalakin.
ASUU early last month embarked on an indefinite nationwide strike in protest against the Federal Government’s refusal to honour the agreements it reached with the body.
The National President of ASUU, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, made the allegation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.
He said, “Our attention has been drawn to the way the pro-chancellor, Dr Wale Babalakin, is ruling the University of Lagos.
“We have also been informed of the various antics he has been trying to use against our members since the commencement of our current struggle.
“Our members are fighting a just cause, and we are convinced that history will vindicate us.
“Those who are coming up with policies that will make the children of the poor to be poorer should remember that the rich will not be able to sleep when the poor are angry.”
He urged members of the union in UNILAG not to succumb to alleged harassment and intimidation by the pro-chancellor.
The Chairman of ASUU, Lagos Zone, Prof Olusiji Sowade, in a statement on Sunday said by convening a town hall meeting with NASU on September 26 Babalakin violated extant laws and traditions of the 56-year-old institution.
Sowade said, “The latest antics is his letter to Heads of Departments and Deans of Faculties, inviting them to a meeting on December 11.”
But Babalakin told NAN that he was not aware of the allegations levelled against him by ASUU.
“I have just arrived in the country. I am yet to see the statement by the union and I am not aware of what the union is talking about,” he said.
On the allegation that he was planning to scupper the strike, Babalakin said, “He who asserts must prove.”
Also, the Ibadan Zone of ASUU warned the Vice-Chancellor of Osun State University, Osogbo, Prof Labode Popoola, to stop harassing and intimidating lecturers at UNIOSUN.
The warning was issued at the end of the zonal meeting of the union at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso.
Popoola was alleged to have pressured UNIOSUN lecturers to opt out of the strike, while also allegedly attempting to weaken ASUU in the school by compelling lecturers to attend management, senate, principal officers and other meetings during the strike.
The allegations were contained in a statement jointly signed by the Zonal Coordinator, ASUU Ibadan Zone, Ade Adejumo, and ASUU Chairman, University of Ibadan chapter, Dr Deji Omole.
