ASUU-LASU writes Ambode, says ‘there are pointers to potential crisis’

The Lagos State University (LASU) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has written a letter to Akinwunmi Ambode, governor of the state, intimating him of the “pointers to potential crisis”.

The union said it has been instrumental to the relative stability in the institution, and thanked the governor for his commitment to the institution.

ASUU-LASU also commended Idiat Adebule, the deputy governor, for her contribution to the development of the school.

Below is the letter:

AN OPEN LETTER TO HIS EXCELLENCY, MR AKINWUNMI AMBODE, VISITOR, LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY

Our great Union, ASUU-LASU, heartily welcomes your Excellency to the Ojo campus of our dear University. We are so delighted to have you around at such a time as this, when life is returning, at least gradually, to the University. Under your leadership of the State so far, LASU has made modest, but significant progress, and is hopefully on the path to true greatness in line with the vision you espoused shortly upon assumption of office. The reversal of LASU’s descent into the abyss just a few years back has been made possible by your timely response to the yearnings of the LASU community, galvanized by the four Staff Unions, to put an end to the culture of impunity in this citadel of great potentials. We thank your Administration for being one of the very few State Governments honouring its salary commitment to its work force in full, LASU inclusive.
Your Excellency, you have demonstrated commitment to the LASU project thus far in several ways. You personally met with the staff Unions twice within your first two weeks in office. In response to our demands, you made a number of promises which have been fulfilled thus:
The composition of a well profiled Governing Council with experienced University Administrators and accomplished Managers under the able leadership of the renowned Professor Adebayo Ninalowo;

Increase in the monthly subvention of the University;

A face lift of the University even beyond our demands by providing street lights;
Amendment of the LASU Law to accommodate the retirement of members on the Professorial cadre at 70 years;
Amendment of the LASU Law (albeit partially) to provide for a single term of 5 years for the Vice-Chancellor. The case of other Principal Officers still remains outstanding.

We thank you once again and every member of your team, especially the Deputy Governor, Dr (Mrs) Idiat Adebule, for working assiduously to ensure that we collectively take LASU to greater heights. We are equally delighted that you are coming not just to inaugurate projects completed by the State Government, but also because you are starting new ones. We are hopeful that more amenities such as classrooms and laboratories commensurate with the rising students’ population; office spaces, and housing programme for members of staff among others, will soon follow.
On the part of the Union, the National body of ASUU continues to pressurise the Federal Government to support Universities. Apart from the initial 1.3 Billion Naira obtained through the ASUU initiated NEEDS Assessment Funds allocated to LASU for the year 2013, 379.9 Million Naira has been approved for year 2014. The latest achievement of ASUU National is the insistence that the Federal Government through TETFund should make direct allocations on a flat rate basis to Universities rather than all kinds of special interventions that only some favoured Universities get. This is what has led to our dear LASU being allocated amongst other Universities, the sum of 1.095 Billion Naira in the last few weeks. No Vice-Chancellor had any input in getting the money. It is the result of the struggle of our great Union.

Your Excellency sir, it is our responsibility as a Union to sound a note of caution whenever we see these achievements come under any form of threat. While a distant observer may be right to say that LASU is today crisis-free, it is equally correct to say, from history and experience, that there are pointers to potential crisis in the not too distant future, owing to developments in LASU over the last few months. Our intervention is therefore preventive, borne out of the hope that sooner than later, there will be a return to the path of fairness and justice – two factor without which any organization cannot enjoy lasting peace. Hence, the necessity of this letter.
Plans to seek your support to dismiss the leadership of our Union
We are aware of the malicious propaganda being peddled around that our Union has perfected plans to embarrass your good self during your visit. This propaganda has been deliberately planted by the University Administration of Prof Lanre Fagbohun using the instrumentality of its kitchen cabinet’s ‘radio BBC’ – the trio of Professors Adeleke Fakoya, Wole Omikorede, and Abiodun Akinpelu. They claim they have security report to that effect. The timing of this rumour, has been deliberately made to coincide with the Obafunwa group’s media assault on the person of the indefatigable Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council; and your anticipated visit to LASU for the 21st Convocation ceremonies. Information at our disposal has it that these agents provocateur of the University Administration may want to foment trouble by proxy during your visit and then hang it on ASUU-LASU leadership. With your sympathy which they believe they would have secured through the action, the pencilled down ASUU-LASU loyalists can then be sacked even if the approval of Governing Council is not obtained. The current media attack on the Chairman of the Governing Council is not unconnected with this plot.
It is clear that those who benefit from fomenting crisis in LASU will stop at nothing to return it to the Hobbesian state of the past. These nihilistic elements feed on the paranoia of their collaborators in power, as they together seek to thrive on impunities and disorder. We urge you to ignore them sir, and remain focused on the task of transforming LASU to a world class University. Rest assured, your Excellency, that it is not in the character of ASUU to publicly or privately embarrass constituted authorities for no just cause. We are reputed for being guided, at all times, by due process and the rule of law. Hence, ASUU hardly loses cases in court. If, and when, we have an issue with your office, we will write to intimate you officially. When we noticed the anomaly with the NEEDS Assessment-Funded School of Communication Building, we wrote the Vice Chancellor to draw his attention to the fact that it should be properly labelled; and observed that the building was immediately labelled accordingly. For the Union, that ended the matter. However, we know that the Administration of Prof Lanre Fagbohun is determined to “deal once and for all with ASUU-LASU” and rather than genuinely dialoguing, will do anything to discredit ASUU-LASU. Therefore, should any untoward occurrence happen during the convocation ceremonies, the aforementioned fear-mongers of this shameful propaganda and their sponsors (the University Administration) should be held responsible. Our dear Union dissociates itself from any attempt or action(s) to embarrass your good person. It is simply not in our character!

Your Excellency, the LASU community eagerly awaits your visit as we remain optimistic that your promise to leave a lasting legacy in LASU will be realized during your tenure. It is expedient at this point that we avail your good offices of some crucial issues as below.

Of Panels and Inquisitions

Due to the Union’s resistance to some of the actions of the University Administration that our Union considers dangerous to the system, ASUU-LASU has in recent time become a target for the University Administration. Within the spate of one week, the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of our Union have appeared before different panels investigating allegations we consider spurious, against them. Information at our disposal does not leave us in doubt that the Administration has decided to deal “once and for all” with our Union. Efforts are ongoing to frame some of those perceived as being too committed to the Union on trumped-up charges, while some have also been penciled down for summary dismissal as soon as it appears convenient. We must state categorically here that our members, and especially those privileged to serve currently as Executive Officers of the Union at this point, are not afraid for our jobs, and indeed our lives. This is a path well-trodden in the past, and we will not hesitate to do so again if and when duty calls. We wish the Vice-Chancellor and his advisers well – ‘The vulture is a patient bird’.

Your Excellency, we are also aware of plans by the University Administration to unnecessarily prolong the investigation into spurious allegations against our Chairman and Vice-Chairman, first, to prevent their promotion to the Professorial cadre, and second, to be used as a blackmailing weapon on our Union. This is an invitation to chaos. We have made it abundantly clear to the Vice-Chancellor that our leaders, versed in the honoured traditions of our Union’s commitment to principles, are ready to face these allegations as provided for by LASU laws. We are willing to follow wherever truth and justice lead on these matters. The Vice-Chancellor must therefore decide within reasonable time, and based on the facts available to him, whether the cases should proceed to the Joint Senate-Council Committee or absolve them of the charges so that the cases can be laid to rest. To keep the cases in view perpetually will amount to a denial of justice not only on the side of those accused, but also on the side of a system making serious effort to put the impunities of the past behind it. Never again will we allow any Vice-Chancellor to plunge us into avoidable crises, hence, our proactive steps.

The Creeping Return of the Culture of Impunity

The Vice-Chancellor demonstrated very early that his priority, among other things is to rehabilitate as much as he can, members of the Professor Obafunwa Administration who played prominent roles in plunging the University into crisis. All the staff unions, noticing his first appointment, advised him not to travel that path. For example, we are aware of plans to help Dr O.T.F. Abanikannda reclaim the Professorial Chair through the courts, as the University Administration is planning to deliberately bungle its defence of the well informed decision of our Governing Council and hide under compliance with the rule of law to restore the accrued benefits of an ill-gotten promotion. There is no greater recipe for crisis if this plan is nurtured to fruition.

Earned Academic Allowances

We have been directed by the National Executive Council of our great Union, as well as the Congress, to bring to your notice sir, the fact that Lagos State University is one of the very few Universities in Nigeria that is yet to pay any component no matter how little, out of the agreed Earned Academic Allowances as stipulated by the ASUU/FGN agreement of 2009 which was renegotiated in 2012. You will agree with us sir, that we have demonstrated enormous patience, such that the last tranche of the arrears of the 2009 salary increment was just recently paid in 2017, eight long years after most of our colleagues in other universities have enjoyed same, as well as the earned allowances agreed after it. It is our hope that very soon, you, as our Visitor will put smiles on the faces of our members by doing all that is possible to prevent a degeneration of the matter to an industrial crisis. 

Conclusion

In ending this letter, we would like to seek your urgent intervention to conclude the amendment of the LASU Law to cover a single term for all other Principal Officers as stipulated in the Universities Miscellaneous Provisions Amendment Act 2009 as amended in 2012; and practised in all Universities across Nigeria. Sir, the non-implementation of this is a keg of gun powder waiting to erupt in 2018 when the tenure of the current ones shall expire. There is need to avert this: and we trust you would do the needful.
Finally, we reassure you of our commitment to the peace and progress of LASU, and hope that this letter will receive the desired attention, to the benefit of the University community. A peaceful LASU begins with a just LASU.
Please accept the assurances of Congress’ esteem regards; and Welcome to LASU.