Date: 2016-11-24

Dr. Kayode Afolayan is the Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU,) that is aligned to the National body.

Excerpts:

Unilorin has two factions of ASUU, What is the situation?

First of all, let me correct a very wrong impression, ASUU as everybody knows, is not factionalised, and therefore what we have in the University of Ilorin is quite anomalous. Yes, you are right by noting there are two "factions" of ASUU in the University of Ilorin.

But of course you know that there is only one charter of ASUU which belongs to the National body. So it follows that any other group of persons not recognised by the national body is operating outside the law and therefore cannot be called ASUU. It is unfortunate that a university administration could brazenly come out to say they are recognising outlaws and impostors. That a university can assemble a group of people it calls its own ASUU shows the level of decay and lawlessness in the system.

How did UNILORIN come to be seen as a kind of pariah by members of ASUU from other institutions?

Well, I was not on the ground when the whole thing happened in the year 2000 or so. But the history, all began with the infamous sacking of 49 lecturers of the institution by Prof. Oba Abdulraheem who was the Vice Chancellor at the time.

Most of the lectures that were sacked then were among the best brains of the Nigerian University system, including members of the ASUU Executive led by Dr. Taiwo Oloruntoba-Oju.

The union tried to resolve the matter amicably, but the government at that time and those who have their ears frustrated the union.

Now ASUU as a union does not replace any sacked executive until crisis is resolved. When the sacked lecturers returned, the union began to make moves to have an election in Unilorin, but the University of Ilorin administration and their cronies tried to frustrate the process, so the sanctions have remained.

ASUU President has described the appointment of immediate past VC as a joke; do you also share in this sentiment?

The branch aligns itself with the position of ASUU President on the appointment of Prof. Is- Haq Oloyede as JAMB registrar. People are free to have their opinion on Prof. Oloyede, but as a union we deal with facts and not sentiments. So, the union is very correct to say that Prof. Oloyede's appointment as JAMB registrar was a very huge mistake.

UNILORIN is one of the most sought-after universities in the country. Many people say this is because the school never embarks on ASUU strikes and therefore has a stable academic calendar?

Let me first point out that ASUU hates to go on strike and it uses strike action as a very last resort. If Unilorin is the most sought after university in the country today it is due to propaganda and gullibility on the part of potential students and possibly their parents. Those of us in the system know that all this is a facade.

For example, what is the current academic ranking of the university? What are the recent ground breaking researches or discoveries that have emanated from the University of Ilorin? How have the products of the university fared better than those from other universities with so called unstable academic calendar?

How exactly do the two factions operate? Are lecturers at UNILORIN divided into two – one loyal to ASUU, and the other to the management?

The Majority of academic staff are loyal to the Union. The so called Unilorin administration faction has only a few members – most of whom have been beneficiaries of the corruption in the administration.

Furthermore, this so called management faction has actually been sacked in a ruling of the National Industrial Court as far back as 2013. Legally, it does not exist, but the Unilorin administration has continued to embrace lawlessness.

According to the leadership of ASUU at the national level, the management of this university uses threats and intimidation to bring every lecturer into line.

Is it really the case that most lecturers would have liked to identify themselves with the nationally recognised ASUU, but have stayed away due to fear?

Yes, there is a culture of fear and intimidation that has grown with the impunity in the system. There is also unbelievable corruption. For example, even told an exco member that he will not be promoted! After our election, the threats and intimidation have continued.

As branch chairperson I have received not less than three queries and two letters of warning between April and now. But the threats and intimidation only strengthen our resolve to revive the system and so far, we thank God, academics are gradually beginning to recover their dignity and respect.

ASUU at the national level has said there is only one union, and that if it is not recognised at the national level, then it is not ASUU. Why hasn't the union taken any legal action against UNILORIN?

The union has taken legal actions. I have told you that the illegal group being propped up by the Administration was taken to court and it has been sacked by the National Industrial Court since 2013.

The federal government will open a can of worms if it can look into the books of Unilorin and see how much it is spending on litigations alone. The pathetic aspect of this however is that the University does not obey court orders.

The illegally sacked lecturers won at the Supreme Court, but as I speak, Unilorin administration only partially implemented the judgement.

On the day of your election, ASUU NEC members were presented from gaining access into the university. But, somehow they managed to sneak in; what really happened? You see, our union is a union of intellectuals we have our rules of engagement and the union operates within the confines of its laws and principles. The day of our election was fixed by NEC and the university administration and members were well informed, but to our surprise, the Unilorin administration had gone to the Kwara State Police Command and the State DSS unit to say all manner of stories.

It was not a question of "sneaking in" at all. You would think the university was at war if you saw the heavy presence of gun- wielding policemen and SSS at the gate on that day.

The Vice Chancellor was quoted afterwards as saying that your faction had only 13 members while the one recognised by the management has over 700 members. Is that really the case?

The question to ask the Vice-Chancellor is how did he arrive at this figure? Did he carry out a referendum or what is the basis of his assumption? There are 21 names on our nomination forms alone, and that is just for the executive, so it is obvious that the figure 13 or any other figure is just a figment of the imagination of the Vice Chancellor meant for propaganda.

Besides, even if we are 5 or two or 1 does that mean we have no right to meet and associate? I think what should be of interest to the outgoing Vice –Chancellor is to support the group that is on the side of the law and not begin to cook up outrageous figures for outlaws.

What is your relationship with the rest of the academic community? Are members of your group victimised at their departments, Faculties?

We have a splendid relationship with the majority of members. Only the few who are benefitting from the corruption in the system are against us. Surely we are being victimised but this is mostly orchestrated by the University Administration.

Is there any hope of an end to the crisis?

There is hope. If the Federal Government is serious about fighting corruption and lawlessness and enthroning good governance in our institutions, then there is hope that the government will soon overhaul the corrupt system in UNILORIN and enthrone good governance in the institution. The union will never surrender its right to operate at the University of Ilorin. The tissues of lies are crumbling; we can see light at the end of the.