By Lawal Adenike
Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof Sulyman Abdulkareem has said he has no regrets allowing the University’s academic staff to rejoin the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
He made this known in a press conference on Monday on the 36th Convocation of the University which would hold on Saturday.
Abdulkareem explained that the outcome of the institution’s branch of ASUU refusing to join the mainstream ASUU for 19 years, from 2000 to 2019 were dire and unimaginable.
The Vice Chancellor added that during those years, the University became a pariah in the comity of universities with a lot of lives in the process imperiled and in danger.
He further explained that during the period, students that graduated from the University of Ilorin were discriminated against by employers and lecturers were not offered places in some institutions for sabbaticals.
He said, “I will not regret until I go to my grave making peace among people.
“Over those 19 years that UNILORIN did not join mainstream ASUU, if you know the number of lives that was imperiled or put in danger you will feel sorry for this university.
“I remember when I first became VC, there was an occasion where somebody called me from University of Ibadan and said he was going to be lynched. It got to a point where our students were even being victimised, when they went for either training or industrial attachment. The truth of the matter is that UNILORIN was paying a huge price for not joining ASUU.”
Abdulkareem narrated what he encountered personally for not joining the mainstream ASUU
“The first five months of my tenure I saw hell, because ASUU had the power to delay our earned allowance. I was involved in an air storm in aircraft, I almost lost my life twice because I was pursing payment of our earned allowance. Every door I opened in Abuja did not get any support, instead, they were abusing me to go and join ASUU.
“Let me tell you the reality, just two weeks ago, I was informed by National Universities Commission and the unions, that the I went to defend – over ₦700 million – was fought for by unions,” he added.
