One year after the death of former chairman, Professor Festus Iyayi, the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has insisted that the government cannot extricate itself from the circumstances that led to his unfortunate death.
ASUU particularly took a swipe at government officials over their obnoxious use of sirens and flaunting of traffic rules, saying if the Federal Government had willingly implemented the 2009 pact it entered with the union, there would have been no need for that protracted strike.
ASUU President, Nasir Fagge, represented by Biodun Ogunyemi, made the remarks on Wednesday at a commemorative conference in honour of the late don at the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Abuja.
It would be recalled that the late Iyayi was killed on Tuesday November 12, 2013 in a road accident involving the convoy of Governor of Kogi State, Idris Wada, while on his way to Kano to attend a NEC meeting aimed at resolving the protracted industrial action embarked upon by the university teachers.
Fagge said the vacuum created by the exit of Iyayi in the union’s affair was immeasurable, especially his people-oriented counsel, his leadership trait, his ruggedness and his sense of direction.
He said the matter was still before a competent law court where they hope to get justice for the late academic, who once served as President of ASUU.
“We are today gathered in memory of Comrade Iyayi; it is expected that this occasion will afford us the platform to recall and reflect on the good times we had with him and take stock of what we have done and how best to keep his name in perpetuity and redress the senseless situation in which he was killed.
“We are presently in the court of law over what amounts to the murder of Professor Iyayi by an agent of the Kogi State Government. We hope to get justice for Comrade Iyayi and for ordinary Nigerians who have been victims of state-involved murder,” ASUU stated.
Source: Daily Independent
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