ASUU FUOYE is on strike, says school chapter

Recent rumours of division in the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, have generated doubt as to whether the union joined the ongoing nationwide strike embarked upon by University lecturers on November 4, 2018.

CAMPUS REPORTER gathered that the ASUU chapter in the university has been divided. Some lecturers were reported to have joined a rival group named Congress of Nigerian Academia of Universities (CNAU) reportedly headed by Ayodeji Ige in FUOYE.

It was also announced that member lecturers have backed out of the ongoing nationwide strike.

The doubt generated by these was further compounded by the fact the ASUU chapter in the university did not join the strike immediately it began as the university was some days into its second-semester examination and had to conclude the exams.

When contacted to clear the air on whether ASUU FUOYE chapter is on strike or not by Campus Reporter, Akinyemi Omonijo, the chairperson ASUU FUOYE chapter asked this reporter to contact him by mail which was done. 

In his response to the mail, Mr Omonijo said: “please, I will like to refer you to the publication in “THISDAY newspaper” of Wednesday, 12th December 2018. This publication is titled “In FUOYE, It’s Peace in the Midst of Storms”. This publication provides an answer to the question you asked me in the email that you sent to me”.

Affirmations of various lecturers and union officials in the institution interviewed in the news report published by THISDAY, however, confirmed that ASUU FUOYE is on strike.

As culled from the news report, Ademola Akinsorotan said “I am not a member of CNAU, but an executive of ASUU- the acting Secretary of the union. CNAU and other unknown forces within ASUU, FUOYE chapter, will soon fizzle out”.

Similarly, when interviewed, the treasurer of ASUU FUOYE chapter, Dr. Olatayo Olaniyan, said: “ASUU FUOYE is still part of the national strike until the national body of our great union says otherwise”.

It should be recalled that while some other Nigerian universities embarked on the strike, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) branch of ASUU was split into two. While members of ASUU in the institution maintained total strike action, other lecturers who joined CNAU backed out of the strike vowing continuance of academic activities.