Dr Adeyemi Daramola, a lecturer in the Department of English, Faculty of Arts Department, University of Lagos has challenged the Academic Staff Union of Universities to live up to its founding principles and call off the strike this week in line with the majority decision reached by the various chapters of the Union.
He condemned the “oracular position” being adopted by ASUU whereby the leadership of the Union jettisoned the wishes of the many in order to further the interests of the minority.
Daramola said, “The position of ASUU has not demonstrated original function of its rules which says “reports on agreement from the union universities’ branches should be collated and announced.
“ASUU-NEC has assumed an oracular posture by its very poor communication to members, government and the Nigerian society.
“The target of ASUU is to call off the strike by mid-January of 2014 which is no longer a rumour in the domain of its members. We have postponed other meetings of this pressure version of UNILAG-ASUU to discuss issues and shall call a new one if ASUU-NEC fails to suspend the strike before the end off the week.
“If necessary, we shall take all legitimate steps to ensure that normalcy is restored to all the Nigerian universities as soon as possible, as the group would not accept the rumour of a resumption date fixed for January, 2014. About two universities’ academic calendar have been wasted on strike, including lecturers’ four months salaries lost.”
Another leader of the faction supporting the end of the strike, Dr Michael Ogbeide of the History Department said “the ASUU strike had become nonsense and must be stopped. A lot of our members also believe so but are afraid to speak out.”
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