Protesting Varsity Unions March Pro-Chancellor Out Of Council Meeting

By Ayodele Oni

Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, (BOUEST)Ikere-Ekiti,  has  clarified reasons for the invasion of its Council meeting by protesting union leaders on Thursday.

The University, in a statement on Friday, explained that no State Government official was within the institution’s campus during the protest.

The statement, signed by the spokesman, Temitope Akinbisoye reads:

“The attention of Bamidele Olumilua University has been drawn to a malicious news report trending on social media that the Secretary to the State Government, Ekiti State Accountant General, the Chief of Staff to the State Governor and the University Pro-Chancellor were humiliated on Thursday, June 2, 2022 by members of staff of the University for allegedly spreading the gospel of continuity.

“The University considers it as mean and cowardly for the dark forces of disinformation to toe the inglorious path of spreading deliberate falsehoods and illogical surmises just to deceive the public and apparently, to score cheap political points.

“For the purpose of emphasis and situating things in correct  perspectives: The statutory meeting of the University Governing Council was scheduled for Thursday, June 2, 2022.

‘While the meeting was in progress, members of staff under the three (3) trade unions (ASUU, SSANU and NASU), rose from their emergency meetings and jointly staged a protest to the Academic Building (venue of the Governing Council meeting) to express grievances on sundry issues including regrading and  promotion matters.

“The leaders of the three (3) trade unions sought audience with the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Chief Afolabi Ojuawo and it was granted.

“While expressing their grievances on the promotion exercise and other matters ancillary thereto, the  Union leaders, in no-holds-barred manner, commended the Ekiti State Governor and Visitor to the University, Dr. Kayode Fayemi for his vested interest in and love for the institution right from his first term in office. How the gratitude suddenly became condemnation for Governor Fayemi in the ears of the pathological liars is still a mystery.

“The Ekiti State Accountant General and the Chief of Staff to the Governor are not members of the Governing Council neither were they sighted anywhere on the University campus on that fateful day.

“The Secretary to the State Government, who is a member of the Governing Council, did not  attend the meeting in person due to an overriding official engagement.

“Statute 5(1) of the first schedule of the law establishing the University clearly states the composition of the University Governing Council and duo of the Accountant General and the Chief of Staff are not members.

“The grievances of the workers could not be immediately resolved at the meeting of the Governing Council and the atmosphere became tensed amidst chanting of solidarity songs and insistence on having an axe to grind with the Pro-Chancellor.

“The Union leaders requested the Pro-Chancellor to take his leave to prevent the situation from further escalating.

“The malicious news that some State Government officials came to preach continuity agenda is not only laughable but an horrendous lie cleverly woven by some self-serving political jobbers seeking to drag any willing and gullible mind into the  barren land of petty strifes and fruitless controversies under the guise of political grandstanding.

“The University authorities hereby appeal to the general public to disregard the horrible falsehood and the peddlers.  The University campus is calm and normal academic activities are on-going  without let or hindrance.”