DRAMA AS FUNNAB WORKERS PARTED WAYS OVER VICE CHANCELLOR SUSPENSION
There was a mild drama on Tuesday at the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB) , as two non-academic staff unions of the tertiary institution, organised rallies in support and against the suspension of the vice chancellor of the institution, Professor Olusola Oyewole, by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu.
The embattled vice chancellor, had in a letter dated May 5, 2017 and signed by the Acting Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Dr. Hussaini Adamu, been suspended from office.
But Oyewole, whose five year tenure expires on May 23,, in a dramatic manner, defied the letter of suspension and reported for work at his office on Monday.
However,staffers of the institution under the banner of Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) in FUNAAB, gathered separately within the campus, to express their support and opposition to Oyewole.
Our correspondent who was at the campus report that, NASU members converged on the open space in front of the Senate Building, to eulogise feats recorded by by the vice-chancelor and condemned his suspension, while SSANU members organised what they called ‘celebration of the inglorious exit of Oyewole’.
At the SSANU secretariat, a musician was on the band stand performing with members dancing, with bean cakes (akara) and hot pap (ogi) served to the members and invited guests.
The chairman of SSANU, FUNAAB chapter, Olurotimi Fasuwon, while speaking said “the event was organised to coincide with the shameful end and unceremonious exit of Prof. Oyewole as Vice Chancellor of our once glorious university and to give a dossier of the backwardness which he brought upon the university”.
He also claimed that the VC’s tenure had brought anguish and pain to the staff, and also set the university back by more than ten years.
His words, “the university had over the years, enjoyed love, joy and happiness amongst the various categories of staff now lives in fear, hate and distrust courtesy Prof O.B Oyewole”.
But in contrary to SSANU’s claims, the NASU chairman in the university, Isiaq Odunjo, absolved Oyewole of any wrongdoing,emphasising that NASU organised the solidarity to condemn the purported suspension of the VC.
Odunjo added that after critical study, examination and analysis of of laws governing the university system in Nigeria, the union concluded that the suspension of Oyewole was “nothing but absolute illegality”
The union boss who described the action of the minister of education as usurping the responsibility of the university Governing-Council, pointed out “the said letter is manifestation of executive lawlessness and abuse of office on the part of the minister”.
