By Damola Emmanuel
Unless people of goodwill prevail on the gladiators to sheathe their swords, the tranquil atmosphere of the University of Lagos, Akoka, may be shattered and the campus turned to a battle ground any time from now.
This is because the institution’s branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, and some Professors, led by a former chairman of the union, are at daggers drawn on whether or not to allow the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Dr. Wale Babalakin, to attend a meeting of the council scheduled to hold there shortly.
On the one hand, the ASUU is digging deeper in the trenches and, infact would hold an emergency congress, tomorrow, Wednesday, July 15, 2020, to perfect plans to stop the meeting from holding. On the other hand, Professor Rufus Ayodeji Olowe, leads a powerful team of senior academics, to oppose the union, insisting that it has no power to declare Babalakin a persona non grata. Therefore, the Pro-Chancellor should feel free to come to the campus to hold his meeting.
Some of the Professors queuing behind Professor Olowe include Prof. Yomi Akinyeye, Prof. Lai Olurode, Prof. Nwabueze, and others.
The Crest recalls that Dr. ‘Dele Ashiru, Chairman of ASUU, UNILAG Branch, had, in a memo issued over the weekend, summoned a “Special Emergency Congress” for 9a.m. tomorrow at the foyer of the Council Chamber. The sole agenda of the special congress is to discuss the vote of no confidence and declaration of persona non grata passed on Dr. Wale Babalakin on March 11, 2020.
While urging members to be punctual, Ashiru assured them that “ALL COVID-19 protocol would be strictly adhered to”, adding: “A People United Can Never be Defeated.”
The union didn’t stop there. It also took its case to the media, via a widely publicised press release titled: PENDENCY OF THE VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE ON DR BOLANLE OLAWALE BABALAKIN.
In the release signed by Dr. Ashiru, ASUU(UNILAG) declared:
“The attention of our Union has been drawn to a surreptitious Council meeting summoned by Dr Bolanle Olawale Babalakin.
“Our Union wishes to remind members of the University community and the general public that the VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE passed on Dr Wale Babalakin and his PERSONA NON GRATA status on account of the unfortunate cancellation of the University’s convocation ceremonies occasioned by him has not been vacated by the Congress of our great Union.
“Consequently, Dr Wale Babalakin should be advised to rethink his intention of entering the University of Lagos campus as his presence may rupture the long cherished peace and tranquillity on our campus.
Our Union, therefore, respectfully call on the Honourable Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, and the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, to please rein in Dr Wale Babalakin. He should also be held squarely responsible for any breakdown of law and order which his presence on our campus may create. Meanwhile, all members of our great Union in the university have been fully mobilized and put on alert.”
But in a press statement issued Monday night, and signed by Professor Rufus Ayodeji Olowe, a former Chairman of UNILAG ASUU, and backed by some senior academics, the pro-Babalakin Professors, declared the union’s threat a nullity, describing it as “provocative, disrespectful and illogical”. It also added that it “does not represent the collective will of the majority of academic staff and other stakeholders of the University of Lagos.”
“ASUU, as a union, respects the rule of law, especially the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which guarantees the free movement of all Nigerians within Nigeria,” the pro-Babalakin Professors continued. “Thus, the purported threat on the movement of the Pro-Chancellor, Dr.Wale Babalakin, is not in line with the tradition and constitution of ASUU. ASUU, as a union, has formal procedural way of presenting its grievances; it always dialogues and follows due process.”
Insisting that majority of the university’s stakeholders-lecturers, non-teaching staff, general staff etc., were against the union’s combative stance against Babalakin, the Olowe-led senior academics urged the Pro-Chancellor to feel free to come to the campus and perform his oversight function.
“ASUU, as a union, respects the rule of law, especially the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which guarantees the free movement of all Nigerians within Nigeria,” said the professors. “Thus, the purported threat on the movement of the Pro-Chancellor, Dr. Wale Babalakin is not in line with the tradition and constitution of ASUU. ASUU, as a union, has formal procedural way of presenting its grievances; it always dialogues and follows due process.”
Olowe, then, promised to prevail on all members of ASUU to follow the path of peace and dialogue in resolving the impasse in accord with the tradition and Constitution of ASUU in pursuing grievances with the university.
Below is the press statement by Professor Olowe-led senior academics:
RE: THREATS BY ASUU ON FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT OF COUNCIL CHAIRMAN, DR. WALE BABALAKIN
Our attention has been drawn to various publications in several newspapers by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (Unilag Branch) restricting the movement on campus of Pro Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Dr. Bolanle Olawale Babalakin, OFR, SAN,. We want to state unequivocally that this provocative, disrespectful and illogical threat does not represent the collective will of the majority of academic staff and other stakeholders of the University of Lagos.
ASUU, as a union, respects the rule of law especially the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which guarantees the free movement of all Nigerians within Nigeria. Thus, the purported threat on the movement of the Pro-Chancellor, Dr.Wale Babalakin, is not in line with the tradition and constitution of ASUU. ASUU, as a union, has formal procedural way of presenting its grievances; it always dialogues and follows due process.
Dr. Babalakin, an illustrious alumnus of the University of Lagos, has since his assumption of office as the Pro Chancellor, been playing an outstanding role in its oversight functions in the conduct of the affairs of the University of Lagos. We, along with the majority of the stakeholders of the University, have full confidence in the leadership of the Dr. Wale Babalakin-led Council. We also dissociate ourselves from any act or action capable of obstructing the oversight function of the Dr. Wale Babalakin-led Council.
We, therefore, want to assure Dr. Babalakin and any other Nigerian citizen of their free movement within the University of Lagos and any other part of Nigeria. It is possible that there could be conflict between ASUU and the University, we will talk to our members to follow the tradition and Constitution of ASUU in pursuing grievances with the University.
Thank you
Ayo Olowe
Professor of Finance, Unilag; and Former Chairman, Unilag ASUU (2005-2010).
On Behalf of myself, Prof. Yomi Akinyeye, Prof. Lai Olurode, Prof. Nwabueze and some other senior academics of the University of Lagos.
July 13, 2020
