Tension at OOU : JAC Slams ASUU For Alleged Betrayal of Workers’ Struggle

In a statement jointly signed by Comrade (Dr) Abiodun Adedeji Lamina, Chairman of SSANU-OOU, and Comrade Adebowale Sunday Odufuwa, Chairman of NASU-OOU, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non-Academic Staff Union and Senior Staff Association of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) issued a robust rejoinder to a press release by ASUU-OOU dated Tuesday, 4th November 2025. The JAC protested ASUU-OOU’s stance, accusing the union of aligning with the university management and undermining the peaceful protest staged by non-academic staff over unresolved grievances with the university’s leadership and Governing Council.

The JAC characterized ASUU-OOU as having become subservient to the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ayodeji Johnson Agboola, a former ASUU-OOU chairman now allegedly wielding undue influence over its leadership. The statement condemned ASUU-OOU for meddling in issues concerning other unions and propagating management’s narrative, which, according to the JAC, betrays the interests of the broader staff body. The JAC underscored its protest as a call to highlight systemic issues, including the unregulated control allegedly exercised by the Vice-Chancellor over the Governing Council and manipulations undermining fair staff representation.

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Key points in the statement include allegations of election rigging in July 2024, where the Vice-Chancellor supposedly disenfranchised many non-academic staff members from council representation through manipulated processes. The JAC also disputes ASUU-OOU’s claims regarding pension arrears, clarifying that pension participation disparities exist and strongly opposing a controversial management proposal to use former staff pension arrears to offset alleged salary overpayments — a plan labeled as oppressive and unlawful by the non-academic unions.

The statement highlighted disparities in promotion criteria and conditions of service between academic and non-academic staff, revealing alleged stagnation of non-academic staff ranks since 2007, in stark contrast to academic staff advancing rapidly in their careers. The JAC lamented the failure of the Vice-Chancellor to approve revised Conditions of Service despite promises and resistance to implementing a two-day palliative work-free policy endorsed by the Ogun State Government and the university Visitor, which management initially resisted until forced by industrial action.

Finally, the JAC warned ASUU-OOU and management against provoking anarchy by interfering in the legitimate protests of non-academic staff. They expressed commitment to peacefully defend their rights and called for the university community and Governing Council to genuinely address staff grievances to prevent institutional instability.

This statement came amid wider tensions at OOU, where ASUU-OOU had recently distanced itself from the protest of non-academic staff, emphasizing their commitment to academic stability and dialogue with management. The ongoing labour unrest reflects broader challenges in Nigerian university systems involving staff welfare, governance, and institutional autonomy ​.