How Long Will LASU Reopening Last?
Students of the Lagos State University, LASU, returned to the classroom Monday, May 18 for academic activities after a two-month 'break', but Legit.ng findings have revealed that the resumption may not last long.
Our correspondent visited the school this morning to feel the pulse of the resuming students and their lecturers, but there was still a lull in the state-owned institution, as the students looked unconvinced about the resumption notification.
Wasiu Adeyemi, President of the institution's Students' Union, LASUSU, disclosed that the students had fully resumed for lectures since they had been directed to return to the classroom, explaining that the seeming inactivity in the school's Ojo Campus may have been as a result of the 'first resumption day' syndrome which is being experienced in most schools.
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The student of Islamic Law noted that contrary to speculations and suggestions, LASUSU was never at any point involved in the debate on when to resume or not, adding that the students would have been on the receiving end had they meddled with activities between the management and the unions.
"I am sure you must have experienced this kind of atmosphere after being asked to resume to school. Officially, we have resumed and the students will soon start coming in droves; that I can also guarantee," the young man popularly called AWO informed.
Curiously, our correspondent moved round to see activities within the school premises and findings revealed that, while some departments had commenced lectures, several others were still left in limbo.
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At the Faculty of Management Science, ACC 101 was ongoing, the 100-level students of the Department of Philosophy were also having lectures at the time of the visit, while it was reliably gathered that ECO 101 was among the courses to be taken before noon today.
The Faculty of Law, which our correspondent gathered, is always a beehive of activities, was deserted as there was no student or lecturer within sight during the visit, but lectures had commenced at the Department of Insurance as Ayorinde Adu, a 400-level student disclosed in a brief chat.
Another student who also spoke with Legit.ng, noted that they were informed about the resumption and had to come around although they were not sure if the resumption was going to last long.
"I only came here because I heard that we have been asked to resume this morning but as I was told that lecture is yet to commence in my department. I hope that things will stabilize in the coming days," Wale of the Mass Communication Department informed.
During the survey, the institution's Academic Staff Union, ASUU, which had been at the centre of the controversy, were about to have their Congress and our correspondent sought to speak with the Chairman of the union, Dr. Idris Adesina, who seemed to be in a haste to attend the meeting.
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He informed that the lecturers had never stayed away from school since the institution management decided to embark on a 'needless' recess on March 23, 2015, emphasising the fact that the lecturers had kept coming to school for work despite the students' absence while also reiterating the union's stand on the ongoing tussle with the management.
Our correspondent gathered from reliable sources within the institution that the Vice Chancellor, Professor John Obafunwa, has been asked not to appear anywhere near the institution's Ojo campus.
Our impeccable source, who pleaded, anonymity, revealed further that, "they said that he could stay in Ikeja or in any other annex of the institution. But the ASUU has said that they do not want him anywhere close to this campus.
"And as you must have observed with the security men outside the school premises and their constant patrol within, anything is likely to happen if he is sighted anywhere around the school compound. That is how much they now detest him".
When asked how cordial the relationship between the union and the Vice Chancellor was, Dr. Adesina replied: "Let me remind you that we had passed a vote of no confidence on the VC of the institution since November 2014 and that has not changed in anyway.
"I will not be able to tell you anything further right now because we have a meeting, but you can try to reach me afterwards to get updates from our deliberation".
Efforts to reach any member of the institution's management team proved futile as they were reportedly off campus as at the time of visit.
The students have acknowledged being at the receiving end should any form of anomaly break out again, and the question on their lips now is, "when will these this crises end?"
Just last week, Fatai Olukoga, Special Adviser on Education to Lagos state Governor, Babatunde Fashola, in an exclusive chat with Legit.ng, said that the newly-elected governor of the state, Akinwunmi Ambode, will not inherit the crisis going on in the institution
Source: Legit.ng
