Vice-Chancellor, Osun State University, Prof. Bashiru Okesina
The Academic Staff Union of Universities is poised for war against the Chairman of the Osun State University Governing Council, Prof. Gabriel Olawoyin, over the suspension of the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Basir Okesina.
Olawoyin had accused Okesina, the bursar and the registrar of UNIOSUN of fraud and nepotism and subsequently suspended the three based on these allegations.
But the National President of ASUU, Prof. Nasir Fagge, in an address read on his behalf by the Chairman of ASUU, Ibadan Zone, Prof. Segun Ajiboye, at a press conference in Osogbo on Saturday, called for the reversal of the VC’s suspension.
The national leadership of ASUU also accused Olawoyin of victimising lecturers in the university and union vowed to protect its members from harassment and intimidation.
The union condemned the setting up of an investigative panel by the chairman of the UNIOSUN governing council to probe those who he accused of impropriety, saying it was unnecessary because the Visitor to the university, Governor Rauf Aregbesola, had already constituted a visitation panel to probe activities in the university.
National Treasurer of ASUU, Dr. Ademola Aremu, also called on Aregbesola to pay workers of the university their outstanding salaries. He said it was not good for lecturers to be owed two months salaries.
Olawoyin declined comment when he was contacted on the telephone by our correspondent.
“I am not interested in any newspaper interview. I won’t discuss UNIOSUN on the pages of newspapers. If they feel they have been wronged, they know what to do,” he said.
Okesina confirmed his suspension to our correspondent on the telephone.
He said, “The chairman of council wrote a petition to the governor against me. He called council meeting where he discussed it and he is the one investigating the allegations. The same man is doing everything, you can imagine that.
“He signed my letter of suspension; it was supposed to be signed by the secretary to the council. He appointed an acting vice chancellor, appointed acting bursar and acting registrar and has taken over the running of the university.”
