Yinka Gbadebo wrote:
The hypocrisy of ASUU and the dilemma of Dr. Ogbinaka of UNILAG in his inordinate desperacy to circumvent truth and assassinate decorum
By Yinka Gbadebo

An intellectual vegetable masquerading to be an intellectual heavyweight needs to be informed of where he belongs because one day, he/she might declare himself/herself a hero. Same goes to Dr. Oghenekaro Ogbinaka, Chairman, University of Lagos (UNILAG) branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). Last week, Ogbinaka, an intellectually handicapped man from the department of philosophy of the highly respected UNILAG was asked a simple question by a Punch Correspondent, Mr. Charles Abah but he chose to go haywire. He threw decorum into the dustbin. He abandoned the question to attack my personality. The question and the irresponsible response of Ogbinaka is hereby reproduced underneath:

Punch: NANS says it is no longer supporting ASUU in the strike. Is this not an indication that the union has lost one of its strong allies in this struggle?

Ogbinaka: The tragedy of this nation is that we killed leadership at the students’ level. The government penetrated the students’ body and destroyed it. We are aware that the President of NANS was rusticated about 10 years ago from the Ekiti State University. He appeared at the Obafemi Awolowo University where he got admitted for a diploma programme in Local Government Studies in order to qualify him to seek election as NANS President. Now we have a Diploma Student representing NCE, OND, HND, Bachelors students as their leader. The painful thing is that most students, even at OAU, Ife, do not know the President of NANS. It is doubtful if he has a regular matriculation number, knows his course adviser and fellow students. He runs NANS from the comfort of a hotel in Abuja. Our prayer is that the strike will be over, those parading themselves as NANS leaders will be back to school, and journalists will be able to locate them in their various hostels and classrooms if they are genuine students. We know our students and our students know us. These NANS people may be students but not Nigerian undergraduates.

Compatriots, I consider the statement credited to Dr. Oghenekaro Ogbinaka as reckless and shameless. It is unbecoming of a man claiming to be an intellectual to abandon issues and start attacking personality. And for the sake of the already misinformed general public, I wish to present my own side of the story.

My encounter with Ogbinaka:

When the ongoing unfortunate strike embarked on by ASUU clocked 3 weeks, the amiable secretary of Joint Action Front (JAF), Comrade Abiodun Aremu invited me for a meeting in UNILAG, and as a product of orientation, I suggested that the meeting should be held at the UNILAG's secretariat of ASUU. Shockingly, the intellectual vegetable in the unfitting office of ASUU Chairman of UNILAG, Ogheneharo Ogbinaka shunned the meeting. He refused to attend to me. I was shocked and amazed by his obnoxious mien. Despite the irresponsible display of Ogbinaka, i still went ahead to have the meeting as scheduled with JAF secretary where I poured out my mind about the misdemeanors of ASUU and their lackadaisical Stance towards students' emancipation over the years. In the latter part of this piece, I will still raise the issues and articulate the posers exactly like I did at the meeting, which prompted Comrade Aremu to sincerely accept the fact that ASUU has not been fair to Nigerian students. He promised to discuss with the leadership of ASUU on how to form a new synergy with NANS towards the actualization of a common objective while past errors will also be corrected. That was the last I heard of till today.

What apparently went wrong?

A man that fails to protect his dignity and integrity in life is as good as dead because he will be rubbished by intellectual Lilliputians and morally bankrupt and insignificant figures like Ogbinaka. Let me state clearly that I am a man that will never sacrifice my dignity and integrity for gold or silver. I have been tempted and tried on several occasions without faltering in my beliefs, no matter whose ox is gored.

Country people, its is no more news that our totally ideological organization lost our much cherished and absolutely respected Senate President, Donald Onakwagwu who died along side four other reputable comrades on the 12th of June this year while on his way to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State to intervene in the crisis that trailed the peaceful demonstration of Nigerian students against the management of the University of Uyo over some policies of inconvenience slammed on the students of the institution. The peaceful protest against the totally abysmal transportation policy introduced by the Uniuyo management went up in flames when the management working within the ambience of the conspiracy of ASUU, Uniuyo chapter invited the trigger happy men of the Nigeria Police to the scene to foil the mass action. The refusal of Nigerian students to recognize the presence of the policemen led to the shooting and killing of a student of the institution. Our indefatigable late senate president, a student of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) was angered upon hearing the unfortunate news and immediately, mobilized his artilleries together and moved to Uyo. He lost his life while on his way to Uyo.

However, Fellow Nigerians, as I write, I wish to let you know that NANS has not received any message of condolence from ASUU; and for record purpose, over twenty State Governors wrote us letters of condolence. The Federal Government (FG), apart from writing us, also sent a powerful delegation led by the former Minister of Education, Professor Ruqqayatu Rufai to condole with us and the families of the deceased. As I write, NLC, JAF, ASUU, SSANU, NASU, COEASU etc have not deemed it fit to condole with us till date over the death of these promising future leaders.

How ASUU attempts to rubbish the dignity of NANS!

We lost our comrades on the 12th of June. ASUU declared war on Federal government on the 2nd of July. A top official of ASUU from the University of Benin (UNIBEN) called me a week after the commencement of the ongoing strike saying that the national executive committee of ASUU wants me to lead a mass action against the federal government. Just imagine! ASUU wants the man they never consulted, neither briefed nor carried along before going on strike to blackmail FG on her behalf. The man who knows nothing as at then, the content of the contentious agreement. The man who was relegated to a point of insignificance at the point of embarkation of the strike has suddenly become knight in ASUU's game of chess to be used against the Federal Government. I told him that i will get back to him. However, the question I asked myself was, so ASUU leaders have my number and they could not call to condole with us when calamity befell NANS nor discuss with us before the union proceeded on strike, so that we can understand the issues necessitating the commencement of the strike action, since we students are the ONLY LOSERS in the tussle between ASUU and FG.

Thereafter, I called the NANS executive members to brief them of what ASUU asked me to do, and we all agreed that it is the highest level of insult to our organization. We agreed to define our own struggles and agitations for the rejuvenation of the education sector, independent of ASUU, as history has taught us that after using students to pressurize government into submission to their whims and caprices, our lecturers have always dumped us, without thinking of how they can reciprocate students' gestures when we have our own struggles that directly affects the welfarism of Nigerian students.

When the ongoing ASUU strike clocked 29 days, I wrote two separate letters to the Chairman of the Federal Government's NEEDs, Governor Gabriel Suswan of Benue State and Dr. Issa Fagge, President, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) respectively; demanding information from them on why Nigerian Students had to be at the receiving end, as they have been confined to perpetual home-stay; and in furtherance, asking for the steps being taken to get their disagreement resolved.

A week later, Governor Suswan replied my letter. Two weeks after, Governor Suswan invited the National Executive Council of NANS to a meeting in Abuja where we were briefed exclusively with documented evidences on the matter.

Country people, let me inform you authoritatively that apart from the fact that ASUU President has not deemed it fit to respond to the letter addressed to him till date; it should be noted that neither the leadership nor the body of ASUU consulted NANS before starting-off the ongoing strike.

However, even when it is not the right of NANS to be consulted by ASUU before taking decisions or embarking on its causes, we feel it would have been a privilege and more honourable to partner with the Students leadership (NANS) in the process of executing its demands especially on the one of the present day. ASUU leaders apparently felt insulted that I could be asking for explanation from them. Assuming without Conceding that I was rude, was Dr. Fagge not also arrogant? If The Senate President of Nigeria could be ordered down from his vehicle by Students, who's Dr. Fagge that could not be formaly questioned?

Rustication from UNAD (now EKSU): my story!

I was indeed rusticated from the Ekiti State University ( formerly university of Ado Ekiti) but let me set the record straight that not all the students rusticated from schooI are irresponsible and of questionable character. I knew of a former NANS leader that was rusticated from the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State (FUTMINA) and today, he's a visiting lecturer at Harvard University, United States. Former Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu was once rusticated from Uthman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto. I was a victim of the evil and tyrannical conspiracy between ASUU and UNAD's Management. The Chairman of ASUU at the University of Ado-Ekiti in 2001, Sikiru Eniola was a member of the panel that rusticated me because I fought against increment in school fees as the students’ union’s Welfare Director.

The public should note that I was not rusticated because I was a Cultist. I was not sent out of university because I was a rapist. I was not punished because I was involved in examination malpractices or embezzles my union fund. I was unduly rusticated from UNAD for kicking against the 300% increment of our school/ tuition fees. It saddens my heart that some of my mates that I fought for, and are now lecturers, are part of those calling me a rusticated student on social media. Some students that I fought for their interest then, are now part of those chastising me. They have left me to my destiny immediately after the struggle against the calculated plan of our management to make education unaffordable for the masses in UNAD. Some of my mates are today top staff in Shell, Chevron etc. It was after I waited with no hope of getting my result released having graduated with a cumulative grade point of 3.75 (second class upper) consequent upon my serving my 3 years of suspension that I applied for admission at Obafemi Awolowo University. Let me assert that Posterity will judge all those that conspired against me in UNAD.

My eligibility to contest for NANS Presidency and Ogbinaka's harangue:

The diatribe thrown at me by the uninformed Ogbinaka about the authenticity of my studentship was an indication that he never participated in students' struggle when he was an undergraduate because if did, he would have been informed about the eligibility to contest for any position in NANS. He said I am a Diploma Student! Yes! I am! I am proudly a Diploma Student! NANS wasn't formed for only B.Sc students. Age has no limit to education. Former Nigerian House of Representatives' Speaker, Patricia Etteh is presently studying Law; Etteh is above 50 years of age. Any student studying a course of two sessions and above is qualified to contest for NANS Presidency, says the sacrosanct constitution of NANS.

Let me also put it to Ogbinaka and his cohorts that I am not a product of imposition. I bought NANS nomination form, filled and submitted it. I also presented my manifestos before Nigerian Students at Uyo In December 2012. I was thoroughly screened by the electoral committee members before i was allowed to stand for the election. Liars and propagandists like Ogbinaka should bury their in-commonsensical heads in shame! Let the pig-headed Ogbinaka check my academic status out with my institution, OAU via any means, even online through the OAU portal, I remain one of the very best students in my class. Ogbinaka's ignorance of the academic norms is very appalling. As a bonafide student of OAU, I was duly matriculated, and my Matric number is DLG/2011/207.

The hues and cries about my anti-ASUU stand!

I have discovered that 99.087 % of those dogmatically and subjectively throwing diatribes at me in the media against my decision not to sentimentally follow the tradition of supporting ASUU against FG have never set their eyes on the controversial 2009 document and the status update of the agreement between FG and ASUU. What should I have done that I had not done? Was i wrong to have written ASUU to demand for information? Is ASUU President too big to respond to the letter of over 40 million Nigerian Students?

Anyway, for the sake of the already misinformed general public, the summary of the controversial 2009 agreement signed with ASUU by FG and the status update of the negotiation between FG and ASUU goes as thus:

The agreement is hereby divided into two:

1. Primary Demands
2. Secondary Demands

The primary demands are the Earned Allowance totaling N87billions being demanded by ASUU for her members. ASUU is also demanding that all the landed properties in Public Universities nationwide should be allocated to her by government to be managed via a company called ASUU HOLDINGS.

The secondary demands are those which encapsulate conducive environment for teaching and learning, total implementation of UNESCO recommendation on education, etc. A total of N400billion is being demanded by ASUU for these.

Personally, i am in support of ASUU with respect to her secondary demands, but let me assert without any fear of intimidation that the authenticity and sincerity of the primary demands of ASUU are questionable.

In reference to the signed agreement and the status update of the negotiation between ASUU and FG, the summary of the primary demands of ASUU goes thus:

That the N87billion being demanded by ASUU was not stated in the 2009 agreement,
That the N87billion was inserted into the agreement by ASUU on february this year,
That the 2013 budget had already been sent to the national assembly before the primary demands were made by ASUU,
That Federal Government has appealed to ASUU to wait for her primary demands to be incorporated into the 2014 budget,
That Federal Government has offered to pay ASUU N30billion while the rest of the primary demands will be incorporated into the 2014 appropriation,
That FG has discovered that not all Lecturers are entitled to the earned allowance being demanded by ASUU, thereby making the authenticity of the N87billion being demanded for by the union to be doubtful,
That Lawfully, the allowance is meant for those working outside teaching i.e those serving as Heads of Departments, Directors, supervisors of Masters and PhD Students, and course advisers,
That FG is arguing that a lecturer employed by UNILAG but on sabbatical leave at the UNiversity of Ibadan (UI) should only benefit from the earned allowance as a staff of UNILAG, but ASUU is demanding that such a lecturer be paid in both UNILAG and UI.
That FG has told ASUU members to go for verification exercise in order to know the actual number of those entitled to the earned allowance,
That ASUU has refused to go for verification, insisting that all Lecturers, irrespective of the manner with which they were employed and their condition of service must be paid,
That negotiation between FG and ASUU broke down over the primary demands.

On the secondary demands by ASUU, the signed document and status update of the FG and ASUU negotiation shows that the FG has started the disbursement of the sum of N100billion for the provision of infrastructure to public universities nationwide including state owned ones. Take for instance, The Benue State University, Makurdi got N950million while Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti got over N1billion. UNILAG where Ogbinaka represents got over N3 billion. Federal Government has promised to pay the N400billion being demanded for by ASUU for the period of four years starting from this year. ASUU is also demanding that the projects to be executed with the fund being released by FG should be managed by her via ASUU holdings.

Additionaly, let me tell the public that after the briefing by Governor Suswan, I, despite not being consulted nor briefed by ASUU, declared my support for this same ASUU that is blackmailing me now with respect to her secondary demands, but I maintained anonymity on the primary demands awaiting a full briefing by the President of ASUU.

Arising from the above, I wish to ask answers to these salient questions from Ogbikana and his fellow uninformed renegades:

1. Why are most Nigerian Students blaming me for not supporting ASUU without hearing my own side side of the story?
2.Was Yinka Gbadebo the cause of ASUU strike?
(3) Was I wrong or rude to have written ASUU?
(4) What should I have done to end the ongoing strike?
(5) Why should i be supporting ASUU that never recognized us when calamities befell us? Why should I be supporting ASUU members that only recognizes me when they need my assistance? Why should i be supporting a union that has refused to recognize my existence? Why should I be supporting a union...trying to factionalize my organization?
(6) Why should I be supporting ASUU when it is unambiguously stated in the status update that negotiation majorly broke down between FG and ASUU over ASUU's allowances?
(7) Can't ASUU look for another strategy(ies) of ensuring that her allowances are fully paid by FG instead of sending Nigerian Students out of the classroom for 110 days and still counting?

Let me briefly write a little about the anti- students and hypocritical stand of ASUU members and how they had contributed to the rot in the educational system of our dearest country.

Really, the ongoing protest would be Student favoured on one-side but I strongly know that the ongoing strike is 99% Lecturers sided. Do you want to tell me that the 87billion the Union is demanding for is to Subsidize the School Fee of Nigerian Students? Is the 87 billion MOSTLY to cater for different Allowances of the Lecturers? Bitter but Harsh Truth.! The Ongoing ASUU strike is no-lecturer fight but UNION's struggle in totality that is the simple reason why No lecturer suffers the action at the end of the industrial dispute.
If that be, why hasn't it been possible for this Pressure group to dim it fit to support any reasonable or tenable struggle of Nigerian Students on our campuses?

If Nigerian Students think as I do, they will flash back and reason with these questions:

1) SCHOOL FEE INCREAMENT: When students protest against this, have you ever heard/seen ASUP, ASUU e.t.c showing support.?
2) INCREAMENT IN ACCOMODATION FEE: What has been the say of the Staff'' union about this.?
3) DELAY IN RESULT: Are they concerned.? Are they not the cause?
4) DELAY IN FINAL YEAR RESULT: Are they ever there to echo Your voice.?
5) HANDOUT FEE: Are they not the masquerades behind it.?
6)proscription Of Students Unions: Is this heinous act not perpetrated by managements with the criminal connivance of ASUU?
7. Expulsion and rustication of our comrades, are they not the one recommending that?
8. Sexual harassment of our female students at will: are they not professionals in that regards?
9. Demand for money and sex for mark: are they not the one that institutionalized it?

The hullabaloo of funding

About funding, and the infrastructural rot in our campuses, please who are the architects of these? I make bold to say that We are all responsible! ASUU should stop shifting blame on government. Both the government and ASUU are responsible.

Take for instance, In the ongoing year 2013, over 300billion was appropriated by the government to the Petroleum Development Trust Fund (PDTF) and Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) (formerly Education Trust Fund "ETF". N130 billion has been made available via NEEDs for the provision of infrastructures in Public universities and payment of several allowances to lecturers. A whooping sum of N430 billion is the 2013 budget of the Federal Ministry of Education. If you add everything together, you have N870 billion (excluding budget for the Universal Basic Education Board).

please with all these whooping amounts, has anything changed? NO! Because money cannot perform the magic. Every stakeholder in the educational sector needs proper reorientation on the need to come together and make the system work. Are lecturers not also culpable in the destruction of the system? What of absence from classroom by Lecturers? Are members of ASUU on leaves of absence not the major administrators at NUC, TETFUND, INEC, UBEC, etc? Are most of the Commissioners for Education not members of staff unions on leave of absence? Are staff union members not serving as Deputy Governors at the moment? Are they not serving as Council Chairmen at the moment? Are their members not the majority amongst the members of Governing Councils in our tertiary institutions nationwide? Despite their contributions, please What has changed?

Finally, let me put it to the notice of Ogbinaka that we are aware of all his shoddy dealings in UNILAG. We are aware of how he harasses and sleeps with female students around the campus In return for marks. We are aware of how he collects money from students before approving their research project and thesis. We are Aware of how he absconds from class only to resurface when examinations are knocking at the door. I promise to expose him! ASUU, go back to the classroom now while negotiation continues. I hereby opine that ASUU should look for other means to fight for her earned and responsibilities allowances. Dr. Fagge's two grown up children are in Malaysian Universities. Their names, matric numbers, departments and institutions will be made public soon. Nigerian students are tired of being at the receiving end over ASUU's allowances!

Yinka Gbadebo, National President, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), writes from Iseyin, Oyo State

Dr. Fagge's two grown up
children are in Malaysian Universities.





How true could this be?