ASUU shelves planned strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has shelved its plan to embark on another round of strike.

The union had announced it would down tools to press home its demand for the fulfilment of the agreement it reached with the Federal Government.

ASUU President Prof Abiodun Ogunyemi addressed reporters in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on the side-lines of “Day of Tributes” in honour of the late Prof Samson Olatunde Oduleye, a member of the University of Iloin (UNILORIN) 49+.

The programme, which was attended by members of UNILORIN 49 and their families, was held at the deceased’s Adewole Estate home in Ilorin.

Ogunyemi asked for evidence from the Federal Government to show that the balance of the N25 billion earned academic allowances earlier released to universities had been “mainstreamed in the 2019 budget”.

Paying tribute to the late Oduleye, the ASUU president urged UNILORIN authorities to apologise to the family of the deceased and others vindicated by a Supreme Court’s judgment.

Oduleye, a former ASUU Chairman at UNILORIN, was 75.

The day of tributes, which was attended by leaders of ASUU from various branches across the country, was at the instance of UNILORIN 49+.

Ogunyemi eulogised the deceased’s attributes, saying the Supreme Court’s judgment, which favoured the affected lecturers, were enough for the university management to admit that it “acted wrongly and should own up to its wrongdoing”.

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“Prof Oduleye won all his court cases against UNILORIN. The university should, therefore, see the passing away of this relentless advocate of excellence, justice and fairness in the institution as an occasion for sober reflection and opportunity to mend its ways,” Ogunyemi said.

He described the deceased as “a comrade Prof”.

The ASUU president presented a-96 pages book of tributes” containing ever 74 entries at the occasion, said “the university owes him (late Oduleye) and his family an apology, as it also does many other victims” of the UNILORIN 49+ struggle.