The University of Abuja branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said that in the last five years the institution has experienced an onslaught on academic activities and suffered setbacks as a result of erosion of academic culture and tradition.
The ASUU members were seen chanting and celebrating the end of the tenure of the former Vice Chancellor, Prof Rasheed Na’Allah.
Speaking to journalists after its congress on Tuesday at the university campus, the Chairman, Uniabuja ASUU, Dr Sylvester Ugoh, said it was good news that his tenure had ended.
He said, “We are celebrating the exit of the vice chancellor that destroyed this university in the last five years. It is a case of desecrating the chambers of the ivory tower.
“Before he came to this university, University of Abuja was in the ninth position. But today, University of Abuja is in the 27th position.”
Dr Ugoh said the strike embarked upon by the union would continue until the illegalities that led to the strike were corrected.
He further said, “The person overseeing the office of the Vice Chancellor, Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi, has been part of the team. She knows all the issues. So, the union is waiting for any day we are invited to interface with the university.”
He noted that the issues in contention were issues that could be handled in one day by any person willing to solve them.
Speaking, the immediate past ASUU chairman of the branch, Dr Kasim Umar, prayed that no one, not even their enemy, should witness what they witnessed under Prof Na’Allah.
He said, “It is our hope that the overseer of the university, who is Prof Aisha Maikudi, will reason with the needful so that peace will return in this place.
“We are not fighting anybody. We want the system to be okay for Nigerians and for our children, but it is quite unfortunate we have experienced this. We are calling all the relevant agencies from the presidency, Ministry of Education, NUC, well-wishers, traditional rulers and religious to intervene and allow peace to reign in the University of Abuja.”
Also, Prof Rosemary Udozor said what they experienced within the last five years had never happened before as they saw pure uprooting of academic culture and tradition.
While reacting, Dr Habib Yakoob, acting Director, Information and University Relations, said, “Well, Professor Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah was well-celebrated by the entire university community at the tail end of his tenure. The community felt they would miss an era that saw the rapid development of the university in all facets of life.
“The acting Vice Chancellor of the university now, Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi, was part of the administration of Na’Allah, being the DVC academic. We hope that the ASUU will give her the support that the university management has been asking from them for quite some time now.”
