The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, and other groups have hailed the recent judgement of the Supreme Court in the case of Aze Obayan, a professor, versus University of Ilorin which declared the termination of appointment of the lecturer by the authorities as illegal and reinstated her to the institution with all her salaries and perquisites.
Obayan’s appointment was terminated under the leadership of Prof. Shuaib Oba Abdulraheem as Vice Chancellor about two decades ago.
According to ASUU President, Biodun Ogunyemi, Obayan’s reinstatement is a vindication of the struggles of the union and a lesson for other university administrations.
Also hailing the judgment, the Chairman of the Unilorin 49 Foundation for Justice, Taiwo Oloruntoba-Oju, who was the Chairman of ASUU Unilorin at the time Ms. Obayan’s appointment was terminated, stated that the judgement calls for joy for all lovers of justice.
Ms. Obayan was a Reader (Associate Professor) in the University of Ilorin when her appointment was terminated by the university over an alleged overstay of her overseas leave.
She was later to become the Vice-Chancellor of two Universities, Covenant University, Ota, and Landmark University, Omu Aran.
In her reaction, Ms. Obayan said she was elated and vindicated by the judgement.
“All glory be to God. I was a victim of politics and acrimony in the University of Ilorin. I properly applied for extension for my leave in the UK and got information that it had been approved. I also found a file copy of the approval, but the University strangely denied issuing it and instead summarily terminated my appointment without any hearing.”
The two-time Vice-Chancellor also thanked ASUU, the Unilorin 49, the Chancellor of Covenant and Landmark Universities, David Oyedepo, her late husband, Tokunbo Obayan, her lawyer, her children and others who supported her during the struggle.
Corroborating Obayan’s assertion, John Baiyeshea, who handled the suit in court, said the case was bizarre and that the university appeared to be in a state of anomy at the time. He said even though there was a letter granting Ms. Obayan her leave, the university, through one Mrs. Ololade, came to the Federal High Court to deny it. Be that as it may, the fact that Ms. Obayan was not given any hearing before her termination was anomalous and the action a nullity, as the Supreme Court has now thankfully pronounced, he said.
Speaking further, ASUU President, Ogunyemi, observed that the University of Ilorin will now have to once again cough out millions of naira in judgment debt:
“Unfortunately, institutions of higher learning such as the University of Ilorin are having to pay dearly for the sins of despotic University administrators such as Prof. Shuaib Oba Abdulraheem who do not follow due process because their actions are governed by personal vendetta and parochial interests rather than the general good of the university. Unfortunately, it is taxpayers’ money that is being wasted to service the personal and parochial interests of despotic Administrators. We therefore call on the government to move in to stop despotism in our institutions of higher learning.”
He called on university authorities nationwide to take a cue from the judgment and refrain from despotic acts that ultimately put them to shame.
