After about two-decade long misunderstanding between the University of Ilorin Chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the National Headquarters of the union, the university chapter has reached a resolution with the national body.
A five-point resolution to this effect was signed by the trio last Wednesday (July 3, 2019).
This development is the aftermath of a series of consultations between the two factions of the UNILORIN chapter of ASUU, led by Dr Usman, Raheem and Dr Kayode Afolayan, and a delegation from the national headquarters of the union led by Dr. Ben Ugheoke.
The misunderstanding was a sequel to the sacking of 49 lecturers of the institution, tagged ‘ASUU 49+’ by the management of the University in 2001 for allegedly joining a nationwide strike organised by ASUU.
The Supreme Court later ruled that the lecturers be reabsorbed by the university and their full entitlements must be paid for the period of their sack.
While commenting on the development, Raheem, who chairs one of the factions of the union in UNILORIN, described the reconciliation as a welcome development.
He commended the intervention of the current management of the university, at whose instance the process was initiated, stressing that his members were always in support of the peace and progress of the university.
Raheem also commended the national leadership of the Union for doing everything possible to ensure that “an end must be brought to the crisis”.
Justifying the reconciliation, Raheem said that it was unfair to allow workers and students in the university, who were not part of the feud, to withstand the worst of the protracted crisis.
He also said that the re-integration would never expose the university to perennial strikes, stressing that both the union and the management of the university would continue to do everything possible to ensure that the prevailing peace was sustained.
