Date: 2017-08-16

As the strike called by the national body of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) enters its second day today, lectures were on yesterday at the University of Ilorin (Unilorin).

In fact, most students of the university are putting finishing touches to their second semester examinations, it was gathered yesterday.

Yesterday, UNILORIN hosted an international conference organized by the Social Studies Association of Nigeria (SOSAN).

At the event, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) Prof Sidikat Ijaya, said she was at the conference because the university was not on strike.

Ijaya added "this non participation of UNILORIN in all strikes called by ASUU has been responsible for the unbroken academic calendar and peace we have on campus in the last 16 years."

The factional Chairman, ASUU, Unilorin, Dr. Usman Raheem, whose faction is recognised by the Unilorin management, said the branch did not join the strike as it had not been part of the national ASUU since 2001. He alleged that ASUU national did not also inform the branch of the strike.

He, however, said the branch was in support of the reason for the strike and urged the Federal Government to honour the agreement it reached with ASUU since 2009.

Raheem said: "Unilorin is not observing the strike called by the national union of ASUU because of the reasons that are so obvious.

Since 2001, Unilorin has not been part of ASUU national and ASUU national has also been carrying its activities without us. The reasons for the strike and need for it were not communicated to us at Unllorin. So the referendum for whether it will hold or not in this university was not conducted because it was not communicated to us. So, Unilorin academic staff are fully at work and we want to remain at work.

At KWASU, It was observed that not all the students were in the campus as the school resumed academic activities on Monday and some of the students were yet to start attending lectures.

Both factional Chairmen of ASUU in KWASU, Dr. Adesola Dauda and Dr. Issa Abdulraheem said the branch did not join the strike.

Dauda, whose faction is recognised by the national body of ASUU, said it was observing the situation.

He said "ASUU national is on strike but KWASU is not on strike because we are on observer status. We have just joined ASUU and by their constitution we have to observe. We are on observe status. We have the capability to join, but I am still having problem with my university management. The university management does not want union to exist in KWASU."

Abdulraheeem, who is recognised by the KWASU management, said the strike was not being observed.

The faction will have a congress today to inform the members why the faction will not embark on the strike.