ASUU’s Fault Over FUOYE Attack – Ekiti Progressive

A group, Ekiti Progressives, EP, has chided the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, over its stands on the management of both the Ekiti State University, EKSU, and the Federal University Oye-Ekiti, FUOYE.

It alleged that the zonal branch of ASUU, Akure, and the two local branches of the union in EKSU and FUOYE were becoming anti-progressives to both institutions.

The EP was reacting to allegations recently made by ASUU against the management of the two institutions that they were allegedly involved in misconduct and not following due process.

EP, an indigenous group of stakeholders, which identified itself as representing the interest of Ekiti indigenes who are staff members of both universities, in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Olabisi Adesua, weekend, alleged that ASUU, Akure zone, under the leadership of Professor Olu Olufayo and the local branches of EKSU and FUOYE, have been playing politics of bitterness against the management and causing their ASUU members to suffer in the process.

The statement read in parts: “For keen observers who would have been following the unhealthy relationship between ASUU, and the respective management of the two universities in Ekiti State,  it will not be difficult to have noticed that ASUU has, over time, become a perpetual troublemaker taking delight in rocking the boat and constituting nuisance for the twin management of the varsities.

“As a matter of fact, the local branches of ASUU in these two universities have consistently played successive politics of bitterness, manifesting in militant unionism which continues to jeopardise a healthy relationship that ought to exist between the management of the twin citadels of learning and ASUU as a trade union.

“Rather than promoting peaceful co-existence by engaging in healthy dialogue and constructive criticism of the activities of management in order to generate a symbiotic rapport that guarantees continuous protection of the interests of ASUU members before the management, they have continued on a self-destructive journey of recklessly opposing the management and mindlessly rocking the boat to create bad blood and unjustified enmity among stakeholders.”

Continuing, the group said: “Sadly, the consequences of such awful development have been poor welfare for ASUU members, lack of a sense of belonging as members, unhealthy rivalry among members and poor growth and development of the union on all fronts.

“The unwholesome development caused by some dissenting ASUU members in FUOYE has been largely suffered by members of ASUU themselves.”

While reminding ASUU that its primary role is to ensure the protection of the interests of members in the institutions, the group said: “Conversely, it has been tales of woes for ASUU in FUOYE and EKSU.

“The leadership of the union in the two varsities lack direction, focus and pitiably not purpose-driven.

“Instead of offering constructive criticism and supportive advice and opinions that would generate better ideas on the project of developing EKSU to become a world class Ivory Tower, ASUU in the varsity has been busy slamming both the Professor Omole-led Governing Council and Professor Edward Olanipekun-led management baseless allegations and going to the media with such falsehood in a reckless manner.”