The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Lagos Zone, has demanded the immediate recall of five colleagues who were dismissed from their positions.

Recall that between 2017 and 2019, five members of ASUU-LASU—Dr. Tony Dansu, Adeolu Oyekan, Oluwakemi Aboderin, Dr. Isaac Oyewunmi, and Adebowale Suenu were dismissed.

At a press conference held at LASU, Coordinator of ASUU Lagos Zone, Professor Adelaja Odukoya, urged the Lagos state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu to reinstate the dismissed members immediately.

In a statement signed by Professor Adelaja Odukoya, noted that the court ruled that under the Freedom of Information Act and other relevant laws, university authorities did not have the power to act against union officers in these cases. Both parties, being creations of law, are required to respect it.

Referring to developments after the Fagbohun administration, the statement reads: “The dismissed union leaders sought legal recourse, supported by the ASUU national leadership, which also imposed sanctions on LASU. Upon her appointment, Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, along with the University administration and Governing Council, reviewed the issue of the disputed dismissals.

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“According to what we know, on February 23, 2022, the Governing Council reviewed the report of its Committee on Grievances and concluded that the dismissals were unjust. It ordered the immediate reinstatement of the five ASUU officers. However, the following day, it was reported that the University Administration had been instructed by Alausa to suspend the implementation of the Council’s decision. The alleged reason was that the issues were also under review by the Visitation Panel set up by the Visitor. The Panel completed its work in February 2022 and submitted its report in September of that year.

“Since then, ASUU has made several appeals to Governor Sanwo-Olu, as the Visitor to LASU, to release the White Paper from the visitation and lift the embargo on the recall of our dismissed colleagues, based on their exoneration by the Governing Council.

“Unfortunately, the Visitor has shown indifference. The questions that remain are: What offenses did the ASUU leaders commit against Governor Sanwo-Olu, particularly concerning LASU? Whose interests is the Governor protecting by preventing these individuals from returning to their posts? How does the Governor reconcile this unjust deprivation of livelihood with his labor-friendly stance? If the White Paper is crucial to the Governing Council’s decision, why has it not been released two years after the Panel’s report? Is the Visitor attempting to cover up the report’s findings?

“Is it not double standard and injustice to use the withheld White Paper as a pretext to delay the implementation of the Governing Council’s decision while Lanre Fagbohun has covertly returned to the university without a verdict on his stewardship?

“It is evident that the good faith shown by our Union in suspending its sanctions against LASU under the new administration is being exploited. It is a betrayal of trust to pause court proceedings with promises of an out-of-court settlement, only to freeze the process when it is time to implement the Governing Council’s decision. This tactic delays justice and inflicts further suffering on our members. Consequently, the NEC of our Union has reinstated these sanctions, declaring Lanre Fagbohun a public enemy of ASUU. All Union members are prohibited from engaging with LASU or its staff until further notice. There will be no external examinations, conferences, sabbatical exchanges, or other collaborations with LASU. This is the first in a series of steps we will take to secure justice for our members.

“We again call on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Executive Governor of Lagos State and Visitor to Lagos State University, to immediately and unconditionally reinstate the five unjustly dismissed ASUU-LASU officials by lifting the embargo on the Governing Council’s decision and to release the visitation panel report without further delay. Lagosians, whose taxes funded the visitation, deserve to know the outcomes and what the government plans to do with the recommendations.”

Members of the ASUU-LASU zone were also seen marching in solidarity, chanting “Bring back our people” and carrying placards with the message “Recall the sacked ASUU-LASU five.”