Oau_olofofo exclusive interview with NASU chairman, Comrade Wole Adewunmi on 9th July 2015.

Oau_olofofo: Good morning sir.

NASU chairman: Good morning.

Oau_olofofo: May we meet you sir

NASU chairman: This is comrade Wole Adewunmi, NASU chairman for Obafemi Awolowo University.

Oau_olofofo: You're welcome sir.
There have been conflicting reports in d newspapers and among people, saying different stories concerning the ongoing protest staged by NASU, so we want to get first hand information from you.
What exactly is NASU fighting for currently?
NASU chairman: The fight is based on the NASU - Federal government agreement of 2009. The agreement goes thus: There are some allowances being packed into the agreement as well as some other things, so out of these allowances, the federal government instructed individual universities to start implementation from 2013 February, and since then our own university has never deemed it fit to even start the implementation. Apart from that, part of these allowances being packed into that agreement was responsibility allowance. We also have hazard allowance, field trip allowance, and some other allowances, which are 8 in total, for various categories of workers, there are some that concern only ASUU, and there are some that concern administrative staffs alone. So, it is that of administrative that concerns us (NASU) and out of that one, the one that the school management knows is beneficial to them is the one they implemented right from the very beginning, and that is the responsibility allowance. The responsibility allowance concerns those people who head one sector or the other. Those who benefit from it are the registrar, bursar, librarian, and the Vice Chancellor because they head special offices in the university, so those ones have been implemented by themselves and for themselves, and left the ones that concern the generality (NASU) undone, which is the hazard allowance. The hazard allowance is what we are currently fighting for, and we have been on it since 2012. Till today, they just keep promising and promising without any fulfilment and their argument was that federal government have not released money to pay or to implement these earned allowances. But, where did they get money to implement the responsibility allowance?

oau_olofofo : The university management made a press release on the 2nd of July stating that the federal government released 2.8 billion Naira, which NASU said it was meant to settle their unpaid earned allowances while the management said the aforementioned money was meant for project implementation.

NASU chairman : NASU did not say the money was meant for earned allowances. There was a release from the chairman of BMC, a body created to oversee how the money will be spent on the projects. We are well aware of the fact that the money is meant for project implementation. This money has been with them since 2013 but we are yet to see the result of whatever they used the money for.

Oau_olofofo : why has it taken NASU this long to voice out their case?, And has NASU been in constant dialogue with the university management?

NASU chairman : Constantly! We've been having dialogues and series of meetings here and there. They kept promising, promising and promising until today, when we have finally realised that they (university management) are not serious and they do not know what they are doing. So, it is better we swing into action because if we were to count the months now, it is about 64 months. How can you owe somebody an arrears of 64 months?

Oau_olofofo :In the past few days, have you been able to meet with the Vice Chancellor of the university?

NASU chairman : we met with them yesterday, and we had a discussion. The registrar was representing the university management . They made a promise and documented and signed on the agreement. Our members however weren't satisfied with the decision. So, this morning I met with our members and we unanimously decided to continue with the protest.

Oau_olofofo : Have NASU been getting support from other unions in the university, or is it a lone struggle for NASU?

NASU chairman : Individually, most of the unions are supporting us as a body, some unions however; like ASUU and NAT, said their national headquarters haven't given them the go ahead.

Oau_olofofo : So, is this now a total paralysis of school activities?

NASU chairman : Yes, that is exactly what it is until our demands are met.

Oau_olofofo : There's a possibility of the university being shutdown due to this ongoing protest which is already in its 5th day, is that what you want sir?

NASU chairman : That one is left for the management to decide. Our own is to maintain order as we protest, we are also manning the university gate, and that is part of our job. We cannot just open the gate while there are no activities on campus, because anyone can just go in and out of the university and cart away with the university property, so it is better we lock up the gate, so within this period of protest, we will make sure there won't be any case of theft that may result from the struggle.

Oau_olofofo : Thank you sir.

NASU chairman : Thank you, I appreciate you.

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