ASUU Decries Alleged Intimidation Of Members In UNILAG

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has on Monday accused the Pro Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Dr Wale Babalakin of alleged intimation of its members in the institution.

Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, the President of the union who made the allegation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, advised Babalakin to end the alleged high-handedness in the interest of university education.

“Our attention has been drawn to the way the pro-chancellor, Dr Wale Babalakin, is ruling the University of Lagos.

“We have also been informed of the various antics he has been trying to use against our members since the commencement of our current struggle.

“Our members are fighting a just cause, and we are convinced that history will vindicate us.

“Those who are coming up with policies that will make the children of the poor to be poorer should remember that the rich will not be able to sleep when the poor are angry,” he warned.

He added that the harassment and intimidation of its members by the pro-chancellor, will not deter the resolve of the members to fight for what is right.

The Chairman of ASUU, Lagos Zone, Prof. Olusiji Sowade, had in a statement on Sunday alleged that the pro-chancellor had been meddlesome and dictatorial.

He said that Babalakin’s convening of a town hall meeting with the Non Academic Staff of the University (NASU) on Sept. 26 violated extant laws and traditions of the 56-year-old institution.

“The latest antics is his letter to Heads of Departments and Deans of Faculties, inviting them to a meeting on Dec. 11.

“This represents another violation of the university norm and rabid desire to scuttle the ongoing strike by union,” the zonal chairman said.

However, during a telephone interview, Babalakin said he was unaware of what the union was insinuating as he just returned from abroad.

“I just arrived into the country. I am yet to see the statement by the union and I am not aware of what the union is talking about,” he said.

On his alleged plan to scuttle the strike, Babalakin said: “He who asserts must prove.”

Recall that ASUU had on Nov. 4, embarked on an indefinite nationwide strike.

The union is protesting non-implementation of agreements it reached with the Federal Government.