Burden of unions’ discretion to protect members

SIR: All over the world, leaders who emerge to lead unions must subordinate themselves to the authorities and operational rules of the platforms, which naturally, are bigger than them. In other words, union leaders are first employees who must have first pledged their allegiance to the platforms.

However, a case in question is that of the suspended Chairman of Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FUOYE’s) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Nigeria Universities (ASUU), Dr. Akinyemi Omonijo who, the university accused of using his power as chairman to cover up a lecturer in the Department of Water Resources, Management and Agrometerology who secretly travelled abroad without the knowledge or permission of the University Management or his Head Of Department (HOD).

According to the University, the ASUU Chairman quietly took over teaching of courses assigned to the absconded lecturer. When the issue was brought up at the departmental meeting, the ASUU leader however insisted that the allegation was not true. He went on to explain the circumstances that made him to take the classes. 

However, unions and their leaders in any society, are strategic entities with strategic societal roles to play for the attainment of collective peace, safety, security, efficient law and order which are very germane to good governance.  Intellectual based unions and union leaders, are like lawyers and journalists, who by privilege, occupy a very strategic position in any society, with the responsibility to promoting rule of law and good governance.

If what the absconded lecturer did was a breach of FUOYE’s governing rule, a foul on collective rule of law and assault on good governance, then, Omonijo has no doubt been blinded by protectionist syndrome, which made him not to report his observation that his colleague had absconded from his duty to the appropriate authorities in the department. By teaching the courses, he thereby helped to sustain his colleague’s affronts on FUOYE’s governing rules, collective rule of law and the expected good governance!

The ASUU chieftain as he has rightly denied, is never an impersonator, because he never told the 400 Level students he was the absconded teacher. However he cannot deny arrogating to himself the power to assign to himself, teaching of the absconded lecturer’s courses. It is an irony of fate that while Omonijo continues to carry this burden, the local ASUU has refused to release the report of its Investigative Panel on the embattled union leader, which some felt could offer him reprieve if the report favours him.
Fanoro Abiodun Olusoga, a journalist, is also a Senior Information Officer at FUOYE.