Tragedy hits ASUU as Iyayi dies

Tragedy hits ASUU as Iyayi dies
NOVEMBER 13, 2013 BY SEGUN OLUGBILE,
SUCCESS NWOGU, KAMORUDEEN OGUNDELE AND
JAMES AZANIA
152 Comments
Hope of a possible suspension of the ongoing strike
by university teachers this week dimmed on
Tuesday as a former National President of the
Academic Staff Union of Universities, Prof. Festus
Iyayi, died in an accident involving a vehicle in the
convoy of the Kogi State Governor, Captain Idris
Wada (retd.).
Iyayi, a professor of Business Administration and
Head of the Department of Business
Administration, University of Benin, died at 66.
His death made ASUU to postpone its National
Executive Committee meeting scheduled for the
Bayero University, Kano to discuss the position of
its over 50 branches on the offer made to the union
by the Federal Government.
Iyayi,   a member of the negotiating team of ASUU,
was travelling to Kano in company with the Benin
Zonal Coordinator of the union, Dr. Sunny Iyalo;
the National Welfare Officer, Dr. Ngozi Ilo, and the
University of Benin Chairman of ASUU, Dr. Anthony
Monye-Emina, for the NEC meeting when the
accident happened.
Eyewitnesses told one of our correspondents that
the accident happened at Banda, a village about
three kilometres to Lokoja.
He said the last police vehicle in the convoy of
the governor lost control and hit the ASUU leaders’
vehicle, thus setting it on a fatal somersault.
When the dust raised by the impact settled, Iyayi
had died while Ilo was badly injured. Iyalo and
Monye-Emina, were however lucky as they
escaped with minor wounds.
Ilo was rushed to the Lokoja General Hospital.
The survivors were said to have called the ASUU
leaders from Ibadan Zone who were some
kilometres behind them for help.
The Chairman, Lagos State University branch of
the union, Dr. Fikayo Idris, who was in the Ibadan
Zone team’s vehicle with the National Vice-
President of ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, and
others, expressed sadness over the incident and
the uncaring attitude of  those in the convoy.
He said no vehicle in the governor’s convoy
waited to see what had happened to the ASUU
chiefs.
“The accident happened around 11am on Tuesday
but you won’t believe that the convoy did not stop.
All the vehicles just zoomed off only for them to
come back later for their injured persons in the
police vehicle.
Idris added that they had to wait for an ambulance
from the UNIBEN Teaching Hospital to take the
remains of Iyayi to Benin.”
Also, Prof. Friday Okonofua of UNIBEN accused
Wada of  causing the professor’s death.
He said, “It is the  governor’s reckless convoy that
killed one of our most distinguished academics,
who has won laurels all over the world.”
But the Special Adviser, Media and Strategy to the
Kogi State Governor, Mr. Jacob Edi, denied the
accusation.
He claimed that he did not only stop at the scene
of the accident, he also ordered the medical
personnel in the ambulance in the convoy to
attend to the victims.
In a telephone interview with one of our
correspondents, Edi said the accident occurred
when the vehicle conveying the ASUU officials was
trying to avoid a trailer and in the process rammed
into the last vehicle in Wada’s convoy.
He said, “We know that when a human life is lost,
it will not be fair to play politics. Truly, there was
an accident. The bus which was conveying the
ASUU members was trying to avoid a trailer and
in the process collided with the last escort vehicle
in the governor’s convoy.
“The Lokoja-Abuja Expressway right now is under
construction. That road is very narrow. It is
unfortunate that we have to exchange words on an
issue like this. But when the collision occurred, the
governor stopped and directed the medical team
in the ambulance which was part of the convoy
to   attend to the victims.
“As soon as the governor got to Lokoja and was
fully briefed on the situation, he quickly went to the
Federal Medical Centre where the ASUU victims
were hospitalised to sympathise with them and
take care of their welfare.”
The special adviser also said, “The  governor has
also ordered an investigation into the immediate
and remote causes of the accident because he is
very bitter and pained by this development.”
He added, “No human being will be happy with the
loss of the life of a fellow human being.
The governor was never indifferent to their plight. If
he was indifferent, he would not have gone to the
FMC to check on the survivors.”
When Idris was told that the governor’s aide had
denied his claim, Idris replied, “We are still in
Lokoja now (6.33pm) waiting for an ambulance
from Benin to convey the remains of Prof. Iyayi
home. That is careless talk by him.”
He, however, said that the NEC meeting would not
hold on Wednesday (today) again because “we
need to honour one of our committed leaders.”
Meanwhile, the National President of ASUU, Dr.
Nasir Fagge, and the Chairman, University of Abuja
chapter, Mr. Clement Chup, have described
Iyayi’s death as unfortunate.
They reacted in separate telephone interviews
with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.
President Goodluck Jonathan commiserated with
the leadership and members of ASUU on Iyayi’s
death.
Jonathan, in a statement by his Special Adviser on
Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said he was
particularly dismayed by the fact that Iyayi died
while going to contribute to efforts to finally resolve
the current ASUU strike.
The statement reads, “On behalf of himself and the
Federal Government, President Jonathan
commiserates with the leadership and members of
ASUU on the tragic death today of former ASUU
President, Dr.  Iyayi.
“President Jonathan also extends sincere
condolences to the Iyayi family as well as his
colleagues, friends and associates across the
country and beyond.
Also, the Senate President, David Mark ,
lamented the death of Iyayi, saying Nigeria had
lost an academic giant.
Mark, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary,
Mr. Paul Mumeh, said the untimely death of the
activist   was pathetic.
Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan,
however, expressed deep shock at the death of
Iyayi and called on players in the education sector,
including the Federal Government and the striking
lecturers to rededicate themselves to the pursuit
of excellence at the tertiary level in honour of the
deceased.
The governor, in a statement by his Press
Secretary, Felix Ofou, said the highest honour that
Iyayi deserved was the return to the pursuit of
academic excellence in our universities and other
higher institutions.