Protesting workers of the Lagos State University (LASU) on Monday chased out the Vice Chancellor, Prof John Obafunwa and his principal officers thus paralysing academic and administrative activities on campus.
The protest started around 7.45am as the angry workers locked the Main gate on Badagry Expressway and Iba gate despite the presence of policemen from Ojo and Iba Police Station as well as the Campus Marshall.
As early as 7.30am, leaders of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non Academic Staff (NASU) mobilized members for the protest.
The angry workers who used vehicles and buses to block the two gates song anti Obafunwa songs while laying siege at the event of the Coconut Breaking Festival which is part of the convocation ceremony.
At about 9.55am, the VC, Prof Obafunwa and other principal officers were escorted into the main campus by armed policemen and the protesting workers followed him and others chanting anti Obafunwa songs.
At Block 1 which houses the VC and other principal officers’ offices, the protesting workers blocked the entrance and prevented him and others from gaining entrance thus forcing Prof Obafunwa to address the angry staff who rebuffed him.
The protest took another dimension when the protesting staff stoned the VC and other principal officers with Sachet water continuously forcing the policemen and campus marshal to hurriedly escort him and others out of the area.
When the protest became tensed, because the situation was becoming uncontrollable, the policemen and the campus at 11.10am were forced again to escort Obafunwa and other principal officers out of the campus through the Iba gate.
As Obafunwa and the principal officers made to escape the protesting workers wrath, more sachet water was thrown at his direction. He entered his official car at the other side of the road and was escorted by policemen.
The protesting staff after the VC exist stormed the offices of the Director, External System, Prof O.T.F. Abannikadan, Dean, Students of Affairs, Prof Kabir Akinyemi and one other Prof at the Science Department but met their absence.
Aside the VC, other principal officers chased out of the campus include, two of his deputies, Prof Sena Barkr and Prof Fedelis Njokuoma, Bursar and Librarian.
ASUU-LASU chairman, Dr. Adekunle Idris, SSANU-LASU chairman, Saheed Oseni and NASU-LASU, Albert Agosu, told our Correspondent that the protest is against bad leadership, victimization of staff, non payment of outstanding salary arrears, violation of due process, destroying staff image in the papers, withdrawal of PhD certificates, denial of letters for elected Governing Council and Senate members.
The NASU chairman revealed that the management was given 31-day ultimatum which expired yesterday (Sunday) thus members are aggrieved and decided to join forces with other staff unions on campus to stage the protest to draw the state government attention.
The LASU workers protest stalled the holding of the Senate meeting scheduled for Monday (yesterday) to elect new deputy VC (academic).
While the Coconut Breaking Festival as part of the convocation ceremony also billed to hold same day at the Main gate (Badagry Expressway) could not hold as the workers used buses to block the Canopies erected for the event.
The protest started around 7.45am as the angry workers locked the Main gate on Badagry Expressway and Iba gate despite the presence of policemen from Ojo and Iba Police Station as well as the Campus Marshall.
As early as 7.30am, leaders of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non Academic Staff (NASU) mobilized members for the protest.
The angry workers who used vehicles and buses to block the two gates song anti Obafunwa songs while laying siege at the event of the Coconut Breaking Festival which is part of the convocation ceremony.
At about 9.55am, the VC, Prof Obafunwa and other principal officers were escorted into the main campus by armed policemen and the protesting workers followed him and others chanting anti Obafunwa songs.
At Block 1 which houses the VC and other principal officers’ offices, the protesting workers blocked the entrance and prevented him and others from gaining entrance thus forcing Prof Obafunwa to address the angry staff who rebuffed him.
The protest took another dimension when the protesting staff stoned the VC and other principal officers with Sachet water continuously forcing the policemen and campus marshal to hurriedly escort him and others out of the area.
When the protest became tensed, because the situation was becoming uncontrollable, the policemen and the campus at 11.10am were forced again to escort Obafunwa and other principal officers out of the campus through the Iba gate.
As Obafunwa and the principal officers made to escape the protesting workers wrath, more sachet water was thrown at his direction. He entered his official car at the other side of the road and was escorted by policemen.
The protesting staff after the VC exist stormed the offices of the Director, External System, Prof O.T.F. Abannikadan, Dean, Students of Affairs, Prof Kabir Akinyemi and one other Prof at the Science Department but met their absence.
Aside the VC, other principal officers chased out of the campus include, two of his deputies, Prof Sena Barkr and Prof Fedelis Njokuoma, Bursar and Librarian.
ASUU-LASU chairman, Dr. Adekunle Idris, SSANU-LASU chairman, Saheed Oseni and NASU-LASU, Albert Agosu, told our Correspondent that the protest is against bad leadership, victimization of staff, non payment of outstanding salary arrears, violation of due process, destroying staff image in the papers, withdrawal of PhD certificates, denial of letters for elected Governing Council and Senate members.
The NASU chairman revealed that the management was given 31-day ultimatum which expired yesterday (Sunday) thus members are aggrieved and decided to join forces with other staff unions on campus to stage the protest to draw the state government attention.
The LASU workers protest stalled the holding of the Senate meeting scheduled for Monday (yesterday) to elect new deputy VC (academic).
While the Coconut Breaking Festival as part of the convocation ceremony also billed to hold same day at the Main gate (Badagry Expressway) could not hold as the workers used buses to block the Canopies erected for the event.
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