A group under the auspices of Concerned Sons and Daughters of Ikoga-Zebbe Kingdom in Badagry Local Government Area of Lagos have again called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to recall the five lecturers dismissed by the Lagos State University (LASU) in 2019.
The dismissed lecturers who were officials of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) include Isaac Oyewumi (ASUU chairperson), Adebowale Adeyemi-Suenu (Vice Chairperson), Anthony Dansu (Secretary), Adeolu Oluwaseyi Oyekan (Assistant Secretary) and Oluwakemi Adebisi Aboderin-Shonibare (Treasurer).
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In a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Monday, the group appealed to Mr Sanwo-Olu to intervene and “lift the embargo his government placed on the implementation of the decision of the Lagos State University (LASU) Governing Council on 23 February 2022.
“…To the effect that our illustrious son Tony Dansu, and other four ASUU-LASU officials that were wrongfully and illegally dismissed from the services of the university in 2017 and 2019 be reinstated unconditionally.”
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The indigenous residents demanded the reinstatement of the dismissed lecturers and the payment of all their owed financial entitlements and benefits.
They also insisted on the lecturers receiving any merited promotions without any loss of seniority or other entitlements.
Dismissal
The lecturers were dismissed during the university governing council’s 122nd meeting held on 12 September 2019.
They were accused of unauthorised removal, retention and dissemination or publication of official confidential documents and subsequently sacked.
In February 2022, the David Sunmoni-led governing council of the university reinstated the lecturers after an Appeal Committee headed by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Adenike Boyo, cleared the lecturers of all offences and recommended their reinstatement.
But in a strange move, 48 hours after the governing council approved its appeal committee’s recommendation, the same governing council ruled to put the recall of the lecturers on hold.
The state government has yet to reinstate the lecturers more than three years later.
‘Fruitless efforts’
The group said as a follow-up to their rally in 2024, they have tried all means to prevail on the government to recall the dismissed lecturers to no avail.
“In addition, we have written letters to offices and individuals in their official capacities – the Governor, the Deputy Governor, the Honourable Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly (LAHA); the Honourable Member of the House of Representative, Badagry Constituency; the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Lagos State; the Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary, Human Right, Public Petition and LASIEC; Honourable members of LAHA representing Badagry constituency I and constituency II,” the statement reads.
“In July last year, we followed this up with a reminder to the Governor and Visitor to the University. A peaceful protest at LASU subsequently followed in September 2024.”
‘Double standards’
The indigenous group claimed that the university authorities have recalled a lecturer suspended on allegations of extortion and certificate racketeering.
The group may be referencing Tajudeen Olumoko, the former Dean of Students’ Affairs, whose tenure ended with allegations of certificate racketeering leading to his removal.
However, the Coordinator, Centre for Information and Public Relations, LASU, Oluwayemisi Thomas-Onashile did not respond to telephone calls or a text message seeking verification of the claim.
“Today, to our chagrin, we have been reliably informed that this character has been reabsorbed to the university and the matter swept under the carpet after the intervention of powerful people in government, and some leaders from his division of the State,” the statement further reads.
“This pattern of applying different standards to different people suggests to us very strongly that the offence our dear son, Dansu is guilty of, is not having powerful voices in the government speak for him.”
The group said this also creates a perception that the State government is not treating with equal attention, issues affecting a prominent member of its community, as part of a broader issue of the marginalisation of our division.
