There has been war of words between State Universities Management and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke.
Lifestyle Nigeria reports that Osodeke in an interview on Arise TV, had categorised some state universities who backed out of the ongoing industrial action as irrelevant and quack institutions.
Osodeke said the universities that pulled out of the strike are not members of his union.
He said: “When you are providing data, look at the background.
”Kwara State University is not a member of ASUU, Osun State University was suspended for its behaviour, you can check. LASU, you mentioned.
“We are in court with LASU because they sacked all our executives five years ago so they are not part of this struggle and Ekiti State University’s government has the right to say we have reopened just as it has happened in Gombe State University, Yobe and Kaduna State University.
“So, don’t cite those examples as they are irrelevant. Talk about the issue, is the University of Ibadan on strike? Is the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) on strike? Is Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) on strike? Is Bayero University Kano (BUK) on strike? Is Maiduguri University on strike and the University of Lagos? Let’s talk about real universities, not those quacks.”
Osodeke’s Statement Condemnable — EKSU
The management of Ekiti State University (EKSU) has replied to Mr Osodeke, rejecting its categorisation among ‘quack’ universities, even as it described the comments as “totally unacceptable and condemnable”.
The university in a statement by its Head of Directorate of Information and Corporate Affairs, Bode Olofinmuagun demanded a retraction and an apology from the president.
The statement read in part, “The Management calls on Professor Osodeke to toe the path of honour by retracting the provocative remark and tender an unreserved apology without further delay.
“The university is proud to have many top-rated globally recognised academics, and its alumni are making waves both nationally and internationally. By the grace of God, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, the Governor-elect of Ekiti State is an alumnus and a former lecturer at the university. Even in ASUU, a number of staff of our university had served and still serving in various capacities at zonal and national levels including but not limited to Professor Afolabi Popoola, Dr Sikiru Eniola, Profs. Eddy Olanipekun, Ayan Adeleke and Olu-Olu Olufayo.
“Therefore, categorising EKSU as among the quack and irrelevant universities is a testimony to the fact that the ASUU President is probably uninformed and/or bereft of ideas. This arrant nonsense coming from Comrade Osodeke is totally unacceptable and condemnable.”
The statement noted that the university viewed the comments as “denigrating, unfortunate, reckless and unwarranted.”
Osodeke Is A Careless Talker — UNIOSUN
Also, The Vice-Chancellor, Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Professor Odunayo Clement Adebooye has described the president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Emmanuel Osodeke as a careless talker.
Adebooye said the state university has 481 full-time academic staff and among them, 387 are full-time Ph.D. holders, “this is not a quack.”
The Vice-Chancellor said Osun state university takes very serious exceptions for having mentioned the institution as a quack university and demanded the withdrawal of the statement from Professor Osodeke.
According to him, the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike (MOUA), where ASUU President teaches, does not have UNIOSUN’s achievements.
“ASUU President should go and check my profile, I cannot preside on quack university. He has expressed his opinion and that is his, the University he teaches does not have our achievements.
“He was here this year and commended the quality of what he saw here, the infrastructure, only a few universities. Osun state university takes very serious exceptions for having mentioned the institution as a quack university.
“He shouldn’t talk about what he doesn’t know if he wants to continue being a true professor. A true professor finds facts and bases of whatever they say, he should get educated, I challenge him to get educated.
“Referring UNIOSUN as a quack university is a careless statement and not expected from ASUU President who is a professor; who must not make a statement without facts.” the VC said.
Osodeke Is A Bigot – KASU
Also, The management of Kaduna State University has taken a swipe at the President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Emmanuel Osodeke.
The management of Kaduna State University in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer, Adamu Bargo, alleged that such a statement by Osodeke is not actually aimed at a better educational system in Nigeria, but for personal and irresponsible aggrandisement.
According to Bargo, KASU resumed academic activities in good conscience and for the betterment of the students.
He stated that the resumption should not be a reason for the university to be insulted and stereotyped by the ASUU President.
He said, “One may wonder whether the Professor of Soil Science really understands what the word quack represents. Quack means a person who dishonestly claims to have knowledge and skill in some field with little or no foundation, as better exemplified by professionals.
“I like to mention here that the highest stage of irresponsibility is insulting fellow colleagues in academia. I thought leadership in academia is about mutual respect and mentoring while also living by good example which the ASUU National finds too tasking.
”The ASUU President was a bigot for neither mentioning Ambrose Alli University, where he came from which has pulled out from the strike long before KASU Management decided to resume academic activities in spite of the strike nor did he refer to his own University as a quack.”
Osodeke Bullying Us — KWASU
Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, says the institution is founded on the vision of advancing the frontiers of knowledge for the good of society and not a quack university.
The KWASU Director, University Relations, Dr Saeedat Aliyu, said this in a statement.
KWASU Management considers these statements as undeserving of an academic of Prof. Osodeke’s purported status.
”One who should know better than to denigrate institutions of higher learning for one reason that is unrelated to any factor used to measure the standard of institutions anywhere in the world.
His statements are tantamount to bullying, they are reckless, uncalled for and a denigration of the status he occupies as national head of the union of academic staff in Nigeria,” Aliyu said.
She added that KWASU was the first public university in Nigeria to extend higher education curriculum to include equipping students with entrepreneurship skills to meet the challenges of the 21st century.