Why we stopped Soyinka, Gowon from speaking at anti-corruption event – ASUU

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The Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities
(ASUU), University of Abuja chapter, Dr Kasim Umaru, says the union has no regret for
disrupting Anti Corruption event in the institution.

The union led by Umaru
prevented Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, former Head of State, Gen.
Yakubu Gowon Rtd and former Education Minister, Dr Oby Ezekwesili from
speaking at the event.

Soyinka and Gowon

The ASUU Chairman said on Wednesday that
the union disrupted the programme because of the ongoing strike.

He said such magnitude of programme could not hold in the institution because lecturers were also involved in the event.

“Those eminent personalities for the programme are all aware of our
plight and did nothing, we disrupted the event because we are on
strike,” he said.

The convener of the event and National Coordinator of African
Initiative Against Corruption and Exam Malpractice AFICEM, Dr Francis
Abioye regretted the action of the ASUU saying they erred by disrupting
the event.

Abioye said the management of the university had earlier approved the
institution’s auditorium as venue for the anti corruption programme.

He said the programme was not an academic event, but was organized to
educate Nigerians especially students against corruption and related
cases.

Abioye, who is also the General Manager, Zoology Garden in Owerri,
urged the Federal Government to fund education, saying that Nigeria
could not progress without a stable educational system.

In his remarks, the university Student Union Government (SUG),
President, Mr Chizurum Anabaronye said the development was regrettable
and disappointing.

“It is unfortunate because students would have benefited immensely in
the programme considering the personalities involved in the programme.

“Wole Soyinka is a person every student wants to see and the only
opportunity to hear him speak was disrupted, we mobilized the students
for the event but later communicated to them on the development,” he
said.

One of the facilitators and Osun High Court Judge, Justice Oloyode
Folahanmi, said AFICEM planned to celebrate the
2018 anti corruption day with a lecture on the `Benefits of Examination
Ethics’ which was disrupted.

“The Noble Laureate Prof Wole Soyinka, other eminent persons and
myself were to speak to Nigerian students on the need to abide by the
rules guiding examination ethics.

“We are partners in progress, we feel the plight of ASUU and we want
to fix Nigerian problem so it was wrong to disrupt the programme.

While calling on FG to address the demands of ASUU, Folahanmi said
the reason for targeting students was because of the belief that quest
for societal regeneration must begin with the youths.