The academic staff, students and visitors to the University of Ibadan, UI, were in for a shock on Tuesday morning as they met the gates to the entrances of the premier university locked without prior warning.
According to sources, the non-academic staff of the university, comprising of Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities, NASU, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, and the Non-Academic Technicians, NAT, decided to lock the institution’s gate to press home their demands.
It was further gathered that all the classrooms and offices were equally locked.
Efforts to speak with their leaders were unsuccessful as they were said to be holding a congress on the way forward.
Motorists around the vicinity of the institution from Ojoo end to the Mokola/Bodija ends had a horrible time as there is a serious traffic logjam.
Students were seen loitering around the institutions entrances as they were unable to gain access to continue with their studies.
The institution’s spokesperson, Tunji Oladejo said that the current issue was not a local one but as a result of a directive from the national bodies of the non-academic staff.
According to him, the government recently allocated about N25 billion for payment of earned allowances of staff. However, a large chunk of the money which is about N18 billion was allocated to the academic staff of universities while the other unions were to share the remaining.
“It is true that there is an on-going strike action by the non academic staff in the university but it is not a local action. All the non academic staff of the nation’s Federal Universities has been directed to go on strike by the national bodies. We will keep you informed as situation unfolds in the premier university”, Oladejo said.
