by Oge Okonkwo

Many weeks after the  Academic Staff Union of Universities embarked on a nationwide strike, the University of Ilorin chapter is yet to join as lecturers are divided as a result of alleged threats issued out by the University authority against those who participate.

For the past eleven years, the university has not participated in any strike action called by the union, a situation attributed to the fallout from the sack of 49 lecturers by the former Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor Shuaib Oba Abduraheem.

Lecturers in the country are presently on strike, protesting over an agreement signed with the federal government four years ago for certain demands, but two factions of ASUU in UNILORIN are trading blames on how proper it is to join the struggle or if it is a wrong decision.

Channels TV reports:

A lecturer of the school, Mr Kayode Afolayan accused the school authority for cajoling and threatening the lecturers with sack if they unionize or join strike action under any guise.

He claimed that they were recognised by the national leadership of the union, adding that efforts are on-going to sensitise the members on the benefits inherent in belonging to the mainstream of the union.

However, a factional chairman of ASUU, Professor Wahab Egbewole said that the decision not to participate in any strike action was reached 11 years ago by all members of the chapter.

He added that this was in a bid to ensure the educational stability of the institution.

He also said that strike actions has brought about a lot of backwardness to the educational development in the country while urging the national leadership of ASUU to come out with other means of fighting for the cause of members instead of incessant strike actions.

He commended his members for earning legally what they worked for unlike others who would still be paid salaries for the period of the strike.

However, the chairman of another faction of the association in UniIlorin, Olohuntoba-oju cited embarrassment from other colleagues in the country and immorality in collecting from the largesse fought and won by others.

The situation at UNILORIN presently is calm as most of the classrooms and halls are under lock and key due to the long vacation of students who just finished their second semester examination and are expected to resume by September.