OAU Union Leader Regains Freedom After Two Days In Prison

The chairman of the Obafemi Awolowo University branch of Non-Academic Staff of Universities, Wole Odebunmi, has regained freedom after spending the last two details in detention.

The chief magistrate’s court, Ile-Ife, which ordered Mr. Odubunmi be remanded in prison on Tuesday, granted the unionist’s application for bail today, Thursday.

Mr. Odebunmi was arraigned for allegedly assaulting Olarinde Olaide during one of the NASU’s protests against the sharing principle of the academic earned allowances.

The prosecution submitted that Mr. Olaide was mobbed and assaulted while the union led by Mr. Odebunmi disrupted postgraduate exams at OAU.

The bond of the bail granted Mr. Odebunmi, F. I. Omisade, by the magistrate, included two sureties, who are civil servants on grade level 10.

“It should not have degenerated up to this level,” the magistrate said, speaking on the crisis between the university and the workers.

He was adjourned to March 15.

The defense counsel of the accused, Raji, expressed happiness over the outcome of the proceedings.

“This is just one of those normal court cases,” he said. “We have been successful with the bail application.”

Also, a senior lecturer at the university, Kehinde Ajila, told our correspondent that the court case was being fueled by some of the university officers and that it was aimed at frustrating the struggle of the aggrieved workers.