Re: Sacked council members petition Buhari over OAU crisis

I refer to the story of the above title published in The Nation of Tuesday, July 12.

I was rudely shocked to read about the violent behaviour of two unions (NASU and SSANU), Obafemi Awolowo University chapter, in the petition written by the Chairman of the unjustly dissolved Governing Council of the university, Prof. Rowland Egba, to President Muhammadu Buhari. Without mincing words, the actions of the unions constitute a serious constitutional infraction that must not be overlooked. 

It is an offence that should not be ignored so as to deter other persons who may want to do the same in the future. There must be deterrence. These unions must be made to take responsibility for their unlawful actions.

From the account of Prof. Rowland as reported, it is clear that the Federal Government acted too hastily in dissolving the Governing Council. There is no problem with some unions making allegations about the actions of a Governing Council. 

But there is a big problem in accepting the accusations as truth and making a grave decision like the dissolution of the Governing Council therefrom. At least there should have been an investigation to establish the veracity or otherwise of the charges. 

This becomes even important in view of the fact that the unions who made the allegations had even behaved in ways that make their claims questionable. Had the Visitor through the Minister of Education taken its time to investigate the claims, he would not have settled for the embarrassing decision against the Governing Council.

Certainly, the OAU SSANU and NASU cannot be taken seriously. The university laws on the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor do not even recognise any input from them in the process of appointing a university executive. Why their clangour of disapproval of the emergence of Prof.Ayobami Salami as the Vice-Chancellor of the university sounds more deafening than those of the legitimate actors is beyond me. I agree with Prof. 

Rowland’s position: There is no doubt that candidates who lost but do not want to come to terms with their loss are the hidden hands pulling the strings of the unions’ puppets.

President Buhari must reconsider the disbandment of the Governing Council. Apparently there was no due diligence favoured before it was disbanded. There is also in office a substantive Vice-Chancellor that he cannot sack. If he cannot reverse his step as men of justice are wont to do, then the view that his government is hostile to justice and the rule of law is true. 

In the name of all that is good, I appeal to President Buhari to consider the petition of the dissolved Governing Council and cause an investigation to take place. This should go on while the school is going on with its normal activities. 

The court case by the unions should go on too. There is a substantive Vice-Chancellor in place; if an objective investigation proves the process that produced him was improper, then the right thing can be done. Justice is never known to be served where the claim of a party to a dispute is upheld as gospel truth