Why OAU ASUU Shunned Nationwide Strike

By Kabir Adejumo

The academic Staff Union of the University (ASUU), Obafemi Awolowo University Branch, Ile -Ife in their unusual and unprecedented manner shunned the ongoing nationwide strike of the union which commenced on Monday.

ASUU, OAU during the weekend at the union congress resolved not to join the ongoing nationwide strike

According to the leadership of the union, it was shelved to allow students of the university to write their first semester examination for 2016/2017 session scheduled to hold between 14th of August and 2nd of September, 2017.

Dr. Niyi Sunmonu, ASUU OAU Caretaker Chairman who spoke with our reporter in a telephone conversation said “we have decided in the congress that we won’t join the strike. Our students need to write their exam and larger percentage of our members has decided not to join the strike”.

A source at the congress told our reporter that the union members engaged in serious argument at the congress on how the national leadership of the union woul feel if the university branch refused to join, but superior and majority position overwhelmed such argument and supported shunning the strike.

It was learnt that the union members reflected on the prolonged academic calendar during the last session during the battle between the workerss union and the management over the appointment of the Vice Chancellor.

It was however resolved that the university chapter may join the strike if not call off after the completion of the first semester examination.

Meanwhile there are indication that the strike my end today. The Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, on Wednesday assured Nigerians that the industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), may end in two days.

In an interview with Journalists, the Minister stated that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has a policy of engaging unions, including ASUU.

“I hope and believe that this would end in the next two days. We have a policy of engaging the unions, including ASUU and I think now we are very serious.

“This is the first time in two years that ASUU is declaring a strike,” Adamu said.

Adamu also held a closed-door meeting with the leader of the Federal Government Renegotiation Team, Dr. B. O Babalakin (SAN).

Babalakin had in January, inaugurated the 16-member team to renegotiate the 2009 agreement.