The National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, has described the minister of labour and employment, Dr Chris Ngige as a yester for his alleged plot to midwife the proscription of the union.
Osodeke spoke while delivering his goodwill message at a special commemorative programme organised on Thursday by the ASUU chapter of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, in Ogun State.
The event was held to honour the immediate past Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof Ganiyu Olatunde, whose tenure ended two weeks ago and was succeeded by a cancer pathologist, Prof. Deji Agboola.
According to Punch, Osodeke berated the federal government for always being envious of ASUU’s achievements at setting qualitative and enduring standards in infrastructural provisions and services.
“I can see why Ngige is interested in banning ASUU because once ASUU is proscribed, all the union’s assets automatically become the federal government’s property,” he said.
The president added, “You will never succeed in banning ASUU because ours is a union that assesses the system and aligns with the worthy course, without being biased, for the progress of the Nigerian educational society.
“One thing we have gotten wrong is that in the universities, we look at the vice chancellors as chief executive officers, which by the law, it is not true. A vice chancello is just one among equals, and it’s only when he sees himself as one that he will not have a problem with ASUU.”
While commending the former vice chancellor, Osodeke said ASUU was impressed with Olatunde for achieving a “most peaceful” administration during his tenure.
“Having assessed Professor Olatunde and found him worthy, the union was glad to associate with him to the extent that we have to suspend every other official engagements of the union to celebrate him. It is a pride for us to have a vice chancellor whom ASUU believed deserved to be honoured,” Osodeke said.
