Authorities of the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, in Moro Local Government and academic workers are quarelling over a plan to form the institution's branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The academic workers recently inaugurated KWASU's ASUU Caretaker Committee, preparatory to the beginning of ASUU activities.

The Chairman of the committee is Dr. Dauda Adeshola and the Secretary is Dr. Shehu AbdulGaniyu Salau.

The institution management described any form of unionism as illegal.

Dr. Adeshola urged members to be resolute in their determination to bargain for better conditions of service.

He assured that the association would not contravene laid-down rules and regulation of the institution.

The committee later officially informed the management of the formal inauguration of KWASU ASUU.

A letter dated August 17 and signed by Adeshola said: "This is to officially inform the university management and the academic community that ASUU, KWASU chapter was inaugurated on August 13. A Caretaker Committee was set up for the take-off."

The letter entitled: 'Inauguration of ASUU, KWASU chapter,' was addressed to the registrar.

It added: "The inauguration held at E-place Plaza, Malete had five protem officers after a keenly-contested election. They were elected to run the affairs of the union until a new exco is elected.

"We pledge the loyalty of the union to the university authorities and the Kwara State government. KWASU, established in 2009, is about to witness union activities after a five-year waiting period stipulated by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and KWASU Condition of Service and Regulations."

A circular by the Principal/Protocol Officer, KWASU, Hamidat Yusuf, described the meetings, which resulted in the emergence of the Caretaker Committee, as "illegal and combative unionism."

The circular reads: "This is to inform the university community that the management is aware of groups of KWASU workers holding clandestine meetings in odd venues in Malete in the name of cultism or combative unionism.

"The university warns all concerned that this is illegal under KWASU rules. No nefarious, clandestine group, no matter by what name it disguises itself, will be recognised by the university. KWASU only recently attained five years of peaceful and purposeful academic calendar.

"An acceptable legal unionism for students, academic and non-academic workers will be ushered in within an open framework with the participation of management and all concerned. No amount of effort by the handful 17 workers, who met outside the campus and held cultists' meeting to create chaos in the school will succeed.

"The police office of the university safety and other security agencies have been put on the alert to monitor these nefarious individuals and each of the 17 officials or any other who may be misguided is hereby warned.

"A timetable will be published at the appropriate time for a peaceful unionism. Some gangs are obviously sad about the peaceful nature of KWASU in the face of national difficulties and seek to cause disaffection with the government."