The Vice Chancellor of Obafemi
Awolowo University, Ile- Ife,
Eyitope Ogunbodede, says teachers
of the university are not taking
part in the indefinite strike
declared by the Academic Staff
Union of Universities, ASUU, on
Monday.
According to the vice-chancellor,
the lecturers of the university have
no interest in the strike and would
thus continue with their academic
activities.
“OAU is not on strike. As at today,
no lecturer has told me that they
want to go on strike. We are not
participating in any national
strike,” Mr. Ogunbodede told
PREMIUM TIMES on phone.
“If they tell me they want to go on
strike, then it is a different case,
As such, I must have seen that all
of my academic staff want to go on
strike.
“In OAU, we have ‘unions’; neither
of the two has told me they want
to go on strike so we are not
joining any strike at all.”
The Academic Staff Union of
Universities split into two factions
in OAU in 2016 after a group of the
teachers announced the removal of
Caleb Aborisade as the union’s
chairman, due to a crisis over the
appointment of Anthony Elujoba as
acting vice-chancellor of the
university.
Mr. Aborisade and a group of
teachers were opposed to the
process that led to the
appointment of the acting vice-
chancellor.
Although Mr. Aborisade refused to
step down after teachers loyal to
the acting vice-chancellor
announced his removal, they
dissolved the leadership of ASUU
and announced Niyi Sunmonu as
chairman of a caretaker committee
in its place.
The national body of the union however stood
by Mr. Aborisade and does not recognise the
caretaker committee, insisting that its
appointment did not follow due process.
Ironically, Mr. Elujoba has since been replaced
as vice-chancellor and is currently facing trial
for alleged corruption, a development that has
deepened the crisis among teachers in the
university.
But he enjoys the sympathy of the new vice-
chancellor who has been mobilising support in
the university against Mr. Elujoba’s trial by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Until the crisis, OAU had one of the most
influential chapters of ASUU.
The caretaker committee of the union is
expected to toe the line of the university
management over the current nationwide
strike of ASUU.
