UNIOSUN Crisis: NASU Protests As House Invites VC

By Israel Afolabi

The Non-Academic Staff Union of the Osun state university under the aegis of Joint Action Committees has called for the removal of the University’s vice chancellor, Professor Labo Popoola.

The staff demanded this at a protest where the vice chancellor was accused of selected payment and breach of the peace accord brokered by the State House of Assembly.

In a protest which started from the popular Olaiya junction in Osogbo, the state capital, Non-Academic Staff of the Osun State University displaying different placards matched to the State House of Assembly. The protesters defied all odds to gain entrance into the House of Assembly Complex.

Speaking on their grievances, Chairman of the Non-Academic Staff Union of the university, Isaiah Fayemi accused the university management of selective payment, breach of agreement and threat to life among other allegations.

The protesters speaking through the chairman of Joint Action Committee, Lejam Adiyat amongst other demands called for the removal of the vice chancellor, Professor Labo Popoola.

The speaker of the Osun Assembly, Najeem Salam represented by the deputy speaker, Akintunde Adegboye while calling for calm promised to look into the demands of the protesters.

The Non Academic Staff Union in Osun state university who just resumed from strike have been at loggerheads with the vice chancellor for some months now on issues bothering on alleged corruption and fraud.

It would be recalled that the state House of Assembly has formed a committee to look into the crisis rocking the citadel of learning with a view to curbing the issue of incessant strike in the University.

However, barely a week after the striking workers’ resumption, they took placards and went to the street protesting the activities of the VC with the protest climaxing with the presentation of protest letter to the state Assembly.

Hon. Akintunde assured the striking workers of security of their jobs irrespective of their role in the protest calling on the school management not to punish any of the protesting members pending the outcome of the house Ad hoc committee on the issue.

He also told the union that the House would invite the Vice-Chancellor to explain his side of the story with a view to resolving the issue amicably and commended the union for coming to the house with their grievances.

The lawmaker reiterated that the house would not tolerate any form of victimisation against the union members, adding that the house is committed to getting to the root of the matter and chat a pathway for the progress of the school.

As at the time of filing this report, the VC was sited inside the House of Assembly Complex and was said to have been meeting with the lawmakers behind closed doors.