UNILORIN: A Needless ASUU CrisisAbdullahi Olesin

Indications emerged during the week of a brewing crisis at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State.

UNILORIN remains one of the most peaceful universities in Nigeria, having enjoyed a stable academic calendar in the last 16 years.

The peaceful atmosphere and uninterrupted academic calendar at the university was as a result of  painstaking efforts initiated by a former vice-chancellor of the institution,Prof Shuaib Oba AbdulRaheem, who during his tenure, fought radical unionism to a standstill.

AbdulRaheem fought tooth and nail to subdue the then hard fighting leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) for one single reason-stable academic calendar.

Following the end of AbdulRaheem’s tenure, successive VCs, including the incumbent, Prof AbdulGaniyu Ambali, have jealously guarded the feat of unbroken academic calendar from 2001 till date. This feat is the major reason why UNILORIN has become the most sought after institution by admission seekers.

However, there was tension at the university  on Wednesday, April 20, 2016, as a result of an alleged attempt by some people to invade the institution and conduct election into the executive council of the local branch of ASUU.

It was alleged that the remnants of the famous UNILORIN 49 were the brains behind the plot to elect factional leaders for the local ASUU.

The seven remnants of UNILORIN 49 were said not to be satisfied with the recent election conducted by the institution’s ASUU, which produced the Dr Usman Adebimpe AbdulRaheem-led executive.

To forestall breakdown of law and order and disruption of academic activities, security was beefed up in and around the university’s campus.

Motorists as well as pedestrians were made to undergo vigorous search before they could pass through the university’s gate.

Reacting to the development, the Vice- chancellor, Prof Ambali, confirmed that there were rumours of alleged plans by some external ASUU members to invade the institution and conduct election for the local chapter.

He said the institution’s management was not informed by anybody or group about plans to elect new leadership for ASUU in the university.

He added that “ in any case, the local ASUU elected new executives to run its affairs about two months ago.”

Noting that the institution has in the past 16 years enjoyed peace and a stable academic calendar, Ambali said no effort would be spared to sustain the feat.

“For 16 years, UNILORIN has enjoyed peace. It’s a routine exercise that when we notice anything that could breach the peace, we beef up security.

“For about 10 years, our local ASUU has been suspended by the national body of the union but since then, we have had about three ASUU executives. An election was held about two months ago to elect new leadership of ASUU.

“ASUU and management’s relationship has been very cordial. We are on the same page on maintaining a stable academic calendar and moving the university forward,” he explained.

The VC who said his door was open for dialogue and mediation however warned that, “any move to challenge the peace which UNILORIN has been enjoying will be resisted by Nigerians.”

“We’ve improved in terms of infrastructure, staff and students welfare. We should all come together to make the university better by far.

“UNILORIN is the most subscribed university in Nigeria in the last three years. Things cannot be done the way they used to be in the past 20 years.

“There is only one ASUU on ground. The new group which is trying to spring up has about 13 members while the substantive ASUU has over 700 members,” he added.

The UNILORIN ASUU chairman also confirmed  the alleged plot by some external ASUU members to put in place a new leadership for the union in the institution.

He confirmed that, “there were talks between us and the national secretariat of ASUU to reintegrate our branch into the main stream, but both sides agreed that there were fundamental issues to be resolved first before any election can take place.”

AbdulRaheem said there were many cases before various courts on the issue which needed to be resolved or withdrawn before further development could take place.

However, a factional executive of the union led by Dr Kayode Afolayan, was inaugurated by members of the national executive of the union.

The National ASUU had attempted to storm the institution in a convoy of over 18 buses from some chapters of the union across the nation’s Ivory Towers but were prevented at the gate by a combined team of security personnel of the institution and some men of the Nigeria Police.

However, Dr Deji Agboola of the Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife chapter of ASUU, said the university’s action was belated as his members had in a decoy sneaked into the university campus much earlier, “and conducted the inauguration of our own ASUU. We did it at Block 10. We merely asked our drivers to come in a convoy.”