The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has sanctioned University of Ilorin (Unilorin) and directed its members to boycott academic and allied activities at the school.
ASUU wielded the big stick following what it described as “Unilorin management’s persistent lawless, arbitrariness, violation of human and trade union rights and persecution of loyal members”.
No academic staff of the university will be allowed to carry out any academic activity in any other university.
This was part of resolutions reached at the end of its National Executive Council meeting in Awka. A copy of the sanctions was made available to reporters in Ibadan by Chairman of the University of Ibadan Chapter, Dr Deji Omole.
The union noted that despite efforts at resolving the crisis in the institution, the management and its sponsored groups were fuelling the crisis, alleging that it forcefully deducts check-off dues without remitting same to the national body.
Omole added that the union also directed its members to boycott all Unilorin-based journals, quarterlies, newsletters, while articles from academic staff of the university will not be accepted by journals for peer review and/or publication in other universities.
He said: “Despite ASUU’s intervention, since 2001, the University of Ilorin administration has persisted in acts of lawlessness, arbitrariness, violation of human and trade union rights, and persecution of loyal members.
“Contrary to the law and despite the ruling of the National Industrial Court, the university has continued to prevent ASUU from functioning on its campus. It has also continued to forcefully collect check-off money from its academic staff without remitting it to the union.
“The union is, therefore, bound to protect the principles of democracy and the exercise of freedom in the academia, and also insist on the right to function through its own accredited representatives.
“NEC, at its meeting at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, recognised distinct groups that have emerged in creating and prolonging the crisis at unilorin.
“For the avoidance of doubt, academic staff of the university shall not participate in any academic activities of other public universities and vice versa.
“All members of the union, including those serving in private universities during the period of the sanction, shall comply,” he added.
University of Ilorin should just strengthen its international ties - ties with reputable universities outside Nigeria. Products of its collaboration with reputable foreign universities are worth much more than with local universities anyway. University of Ilorin has maintained uninterrupted academic calendar and now has more JAMB applicants making it their first choice than any other university in the country. If non-membership of ASUU is what it takes to keep it that way, so be it. Nigerians are tired of all the threats of strikes by ASUU.
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