The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, University Of Benin chapter, on Monday tried to prevent a division in it’s ranks over it’s strike action when it prevented a lecturer in the Law Faculty from holding lectures.
A scene which could have resulted in physical combats also occurred on Monday afternoon when one of the breakaway lecturers identified as Godspower Ekuobase, tried to hold a lecture in one of the classrooms at the Faculty of Law.
The situation was immediately brought to the notice of the UNIBEN ASUU chairman, Anthony Monye-Emina, who send some lecturers to verify the truth. However, he was forced to go see things for himself as his emissaries sent word that the Law lecturer was uncooperative.
On arriving at the scene, Monye-Emina said he saw Ekuobase with some persons whom he could not ascertain to be students and that when he enquired from the lecturer what was going on, he got lashed at his face and in the process broke his reading glasses.
Ekuobase was said to have become so violent that he was prepared to fight anyone who tried to restrain him.
“At that point, some group of hoodlums we cannot really place their identity, rushed at them and attacked them and the scuffle that ensued attracted the university security men who intervened,” he said adding,” the ASUU chairman who briefed journalists on Tuesday said.
He explained that at the security post, Ekuobase was asked to make a statement in writing.
Showing reporters his damaged reading glasses, the Monye-Emina said the lecturer had a history of rebellion and that he was queried by the union for similar incident in 2009, following which he withdrew his membership of ASUU in writing.
However, he was said to have written another letter on October 22 this year, in which he called himself a prodigal son and begged to be reinstated as a member of the union.
Monye-Emina maintained the UNIBEN branch of ASUU remained resolute on the strike, even as he denied reports that over 30 lecturers of the university had boycotted the industrial action.