By Demilade Michael
Members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, chapter, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, on Tuesday protested against what they described as high-handedness by the institution's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ayodeji Agboola.
They also alleged that Prof. Agboola unilaterally changed the laws of the university as it affects congregation elections into the university’s senate and other standing committees.
Members of the association led by their Chairman, Dr Abiodun Lamina, stormed the senate building of the university, the venue for the congregation elections, demanding that the VC’s unilateral actions, which the union claimed were illegal and detrimental to the university community, must be repealed and not be used to conduct the elections.
Lamina accused the Prof. Agboola of attempting to change the university’s laws, without proper consultation or approval.
“This is not the first time; this is not the second time. We have written several letters to him, urging him to follow due process, but he insisted that nobody can stop him,” Lamina stated.
The union leader expressed concern that the VC’s actions are creating division within the university, particularly between teaching and non-teaching staff.
Prof Agboola allegedly mandated that only employees with a degree at the time of their employment could be members of the congregation, excluding those who obtained their degrees after joining the university.
This move, according to Lamina, aimed to diminish the influence and presence of non-teaching staff among various statutory committees of the university.
Lamina said, “the reason for this protest was because our Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ayodeji Agboola has refused to listen to our pleas over the illegal clauses he just introduced into the laws of the University regarding the congregation elections into the senate, University council, among other committees of the University.
“The position of the law is that a degree holder who is a member of SSANU is a member of the congregation and can participate in these elections, but the VC in the new law said only those who were employed as a degree holder could now be members of the congregation.
“But we have said that this draconian rule will not stay, that it smacks of injustice because many members of SSANU who were employed as National Diploma holders, Higher National Diploma holders have gone ahead to have their degrees, some with Masters Degrees.”
He continued, “We don’t know why the VC is hellbent on creating unnecessary crisis where there should be none. We have written several letters on this but he has done nothing.
“We have also said that the illegal clauses inserted into the University’s law should not be applied for the congregation elections scheduled to hold today, Tuesday but the VC has said that nothing will stop him from going ahead with the elections
“We are just using this protest to notify members of the public, particularly Governor Dapo Abiodun to please intervene over this matter.”
Lamina described the congregation elections as a platform that allows for members of staff to have a representative elected into the University’s senate, the governing council and other standing committees of the institution.
The SSANU chairman called for a return to the peaceful coexistence experienced during the tenures of previous Vice-Chancellors, Professors Saburi Adesanya and Ganiyu Olatunde.
He said “We are tired of this caucus-style management. The University’s laws must be respected, and any changes should go through the proper channels.”
The VC has however said that the matter had been resolved and that he has equally not changed nor flouted any edict of the University
Replying to our Correspondent’s enquiries sent to his WhatsApp, Agboola said, “We have resolved the matter. Be rest assured, l have not changed or flouted any provision of the edict of the University.
“All staff that were regraded, upgraded and converted from one cadre to the other were included in the list.”
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