Concerned sons and daughters of Ikoga-Zebbe Kingdom in Badagry Local Council of Lagos State have called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to ensure unconditional reinstatement of their son, Dr Tony Dansu, and four other Lagos State University (LASU) and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) officials wrongfully and illegally dismissed from the services of the university in 2017 and 2019.
These officers are Dr Isaac Akinloye Oyewumi (Chairman), Dr Adebowale Adeyemi-Suenu (Vice Chairman), Dr Anthony Dansu (Secretary), Dr Adeolu Oluwaseyi Oyekan (Assistant Secretary) and Dr Oluwakemi Adebisi Aboderin-Shonibare (Treasurer).
To ensure justice and fairness in the case, they appealed that Mr. Governor should lift the embargo his government placed on the implementation of the decision of the LASU Governing Council on February 23, 2022.
They also urged him to ensure that all accrued financial entitlements and benefits paid to them; and promotions merited given without loss of seniority and entitlements.
According to them, nothing short of this will serve the purpose of justice, fairness and balance in the resolution of the present issue. “We also insist that this issue be resolved, compared with how more serious and criminal ones within LASU have been resolved by powers that be. It is a significant barometer for measuring the extent to which the authorities regard us and our interest as stakeholders in Lagos State.
“We have not asked for anything out of the ordinary. We are only insisting on parity in treatment, especially based on our conviction that the issues involving our brother arose out of his commitment to the protection of the values of our dear State, which makes justice the precursor of progress, within LASU. This victimisation is enough!” The people said.
Their statement was signed by James Babatunde Avoseh, Dr Mayowa John Adejobi, Tinka, Gigonou Gabriel, Ademola Akoteyon Bokoh, Francis Pedepo Avoseh, and Medemaku Abayomi Noah, for concerned sons and daughters of Ikoga-Zebbe.
They recalled that as a follow up to the peaceful rally, the group made up of indigenous Lagosians, consolidated their efforts by consultations, lobbying and reaching out to many stakeholders.
Those activities, the statement said, aimed at prevailing on the government to do what is just, needful, and overdue in respect of those cases. In addition, they said they have written letters to offices and individuals in their official capacities such as the Governor, the Deputy Governor, the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly (LAHA); member of the House of Representative, Badagry Constituency; the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Lagos State; the Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary, Human Right, Public Petition and LASIEC; members of LAHA representing Badagry constituency I and constituency II.
“In July last year, we followed this up with a reminder to the Governor and Visitor to the University. A peaceful protest at LASU subsequently followed in September, 2024.
“Sadly, 10 months after this process began, we are yet to see any positive result! This is why we feel constrained yet again to call the attention of the general public to the matter, among other decisive steps under consideration.
“We will, for the sake of emphasis, state the facts of the cases again. Dr. Dansu, an illustrious son of our kingdom, and a lecturer in our prestigious LASU, who served (and is still serving) as a leader of ASUU, alongside two other officers of the Union, was wrongfully dismissed from the university in 2019 without any benefit.
“This came on the heels of the prior dismissal of two officers of the same union earlier in 2017.
“Facts available revealed that between September 2017 and September 2019, five Exco members of ASUU-LASU were dismissed by the previous Governing Council on the basis of frivolous charges brought against them by the administration of Professor Lanre Fagbohun.
“Prior to the dismissals of the last three of the five, in 2018, the trio of Dansu, Oyekan and Aboderin-Shonibare approached the court to challenge the trials by the university.
“This was based on the premise that they were about to be illegally dismissed in the same manner Oyewumi and Adeyemi-Suenu were dismissed in 2017. “The rulings of the court delivered by Justice O.A. Obaseki-Osaghae of NICN Lagos on July 11, 2019, in suit No:
NICN/LA/493/2018, stated in clear terms that under the freedom of information act and other relevant laws cited, the university authorities have no such powers to proceed against officers of the union in these cases.
“The court also held that both parties are creations of law, and must therefore respect the law.
“However, given that the issue was not due for judicial review since no damage had been done yet; even as the court was mindful of the breach of constitutional rights of the officers by the university authority, the two parties should go and follow the path of the law for the sake of peace, order and good administration in the university and its community.
“However, the university still proceeded with the trials and saw them conclusively to their dismissals.
“Let us also mention again that we are aware that in 2021, the new University Administration under the Vice Chancellorship of Prof Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello asked for an out-of-court settlement of the cases.
“This was followed by the reversal of the five dismissals, and reinstatement of the five officers by the new University Governing Council under the chairmanship of Sir David Sunmoni on February 23, 2022.
“The reversal and the reinstatement came as a result of two committees’ reports that vindicated the union leaders. But less than 24 hours after the Council resolution, Lagos State Government forced the university Governing Council to put the implementation of its decision on the union leaders on hold.
“This was on the premise that Council should wait for the release of the government’s white paper on the 2021 LASU visitation panel. Since February 2022 (more than three years), nothing has been heard from the government on this matter,” they declared.
