Solidarity strike: LASU postpones exams amidst students’ protests

Following the warning strike called by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, the Lagos State University has postponed its examinations amidst students' protest.
The national leadership of ASUU had asked all its members to embark on the strike to protest what the union considered the illegal reappointment of Prof. Barineme Fakae as the vice-chancellor of the Rivers State University of Technology by the state government.
The ASUU leadership described the Fakae's reappointment as underserved and illegal. However in spite of protest by the institution's lecturers the state government refused to shift grounds, insisting that it reserved the right to reappoint the VC.
The government advised ASUU to challenge the decision in court instead of embarking on unnecessary strike.
But instead of heeding government's advice, the national leadership of ASUU ordered its members nationwide to embark on a sympathy strike.
According to the President of ASUU, Dr. Nasir Isa, the reappointment of Fakae "is an undeserved and illegal re-appointment."
He said ASUU saw it as meddling in the running of the university.
Consequently, the ASUU chapter of LASU in consonance with the ASUU national directive had embarked on strike.
Due to this, the university in a bulletin had postponed all its examination scheduled for last Thursday to September 17.
The bulletin read in part, "University management postpones all examination on August 30, in all faculties of the university. The postponement of all the examination on the aforementioned date is as a result of a one day nationwide warning strike to be embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
"Consequently, all examinations slated for Thursday, have been postponed to Monday, September 17, while the GNS Exams earlier scheduled to hold on Monday, September 17 will now hold on Tuesday September 18."
Responding to the issue, the LASU Students' Union Public Relations Officer, Mr. Adeleke Stephen, blamed the strike on government imposition of the VC, but urged the body to consider the students in its actions.
He said, "Well the fact must be told because this authoritarian style of leadership should be seriously checked.
"The solidarity strike emanating from the appointment of the new VC for Rivers State University by the state Governor, Mr. Rotimi Ameachi, should have followed the statute establishing the university."
Though he urged lecturers to collaborate and support their union, he said no university joined LASU during its last crisis.
He, therefore, wondered why LASU lecturers and the management should embark on a sympathy strike on an issue that did not concern the university.
"When LASU went through the protest of HUSSEIN MUST GO after the former VC imposed draconian policies on us, no university joined us in the struggle. Then, why must we be involved in this struggle? I don't see any reason for joining the strike," he said. Culled from Punch Newspaper.