The crisis at Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, took a new turn on Friday as the Non-Teaching Staff Unions tackled the Vice Chancellor’s recent claims on the ongoing protest.

The unions, under the Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), said the Vice Chancellor, Professor Ayodeji Johnson Agboola, misrepresented facts in his press conference held on Wednesday.

In a joint statement signed by Comrades Abiodun Adedeji Lamina and Adebowale Sunday Odufuwa, the unions accused the Vice Chancellor of intimidation and manipulation of staff.

They said Professor Agboola’s leadership style has divided the university community and silenced independent voices.

According to them, the management thrives on last-minute meeting invitations and high-handed decision-making.

The unions explained that the only meeting they missed was because the invitation came barely thirty minutes before the scheduled time.

They alleged that the Vice Chancellor dominates meetings, shouts down contributors, and imposes his opinion on all discussions.

“Freedom of speech has disappeared in OOU. The management monitors WhatsApp platforms and records conversations to identify dissenting voices”, the statement said.

The unions said this had created fear among staff and turned the university into what they called a “surveillance centre.”

They accused the Vice Chancellor of manipulating the election of Congregation Representatives to Council and imposing preferred candidates.

They further faulted the cancellation of the two-day off granted by the Ogun State Government, describing it as a deliberate act of victimisation.

According to them, the work-free days never affected productivity since the university completed its academic calendar without delay.

They said comparing lecturers with non-teaching staff on the issue was unfair since their duties differ.

The unions accused the Governing Council of aiding the Vice Chancellor in taking unilateral decisions without consultation.

They claimed the Vice Chancellor boasted that the Council would always approve his decisions without question.

The statement urged the Ogun State Government to set up a Visitation Panel to probe the management and the Governing Council.

They said only an independent body could unravel why the university has not ranked among top institutions in recent years.

The unions vowed to continue their protest despite what they described as constant monitoring and threats from management.

They insisted their struggle is for fairness, transparency, and respect for the rights of non-teaching staff in OOU.

The authorities are yet to react to the claims. (Daily Trust)