UNILORIN: Students tell management to fire lecturer for slapping SUG president
A Nigerian lecturer may lose his job after apparently assaulting a student union leader who continues to remain calm.
Dr. T. K. Ajiboye of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, is the man in trouble.
Ajiboye, on Monday, allegedly slapped SUG leader Lukman Sobowale for “being disrespectful”.
The alleged assault took place at the school’s computer based testing center (CBT) where Sobowale was assisting students whose exam was being delayed.
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“When I approached a group of lecturers, including Ajiboye, to solicit for the students, one of them, Dr. AbdulRahman, asked me to step back” Sobowale told Newsroom on Tuesday.
“And I did. That was after I told him I was the SUG president. ‘And so what? Are you not a student first?’ That’s what Dr AbdulRahman said.
“He asked me to step back further and I did. A fellow union leader with me was pained at the way the lecturer shooed us away.
“We were having a chat away from where the lecturers were standing, waiting for them to finish their meeting so we could tell them about the students being delayed.
“Dr. Ajiboye then walked towards us and slapped me,” Sobowale told us.
UNILORIN: Outrage as lecturer slaps SUG president
Students flared up immediately the slapping took place but it was Sobowale who called for calm.
“The DVC came out and hugged me, and pleaded with me. She knows me. I’m not the violent type. I would rather petition the school in writing than protest violently,” the SUG president said.
“She promised that the school management would look into the issue,” he said.
Twenty four hours after the said assault, UNILORIN SUG is demanding Ajiboye be sacked for assaulting a student.
The students demand that “Dr. Ajiboye be relieved of his duties 24 hours from the submission of our official report,” the SUG said in a statement.
“Dr. Ajiboye must make a public apology to the President Comrade Sobowale Lukman within 24 hours of this release.
“In the same vein, he must also apologize to the entire students of this university whose sensibilities have been offended.
“He must be declared a persona non grata (an unwelcome person) at any examination venue until further notice.
“He must be relieved of his duties as sub dean of Faculty of Engineering with immediate effect.
“Conclusively, we appreciate the gallantry, show of solidarity and empathy that we have received from our students, we therefore wish to appeal for calm amongst our students not to go on rampage but to remain calm as the situation is under control.
“Our promise is that if Dr. Ajiboye is not brought to book, we would take the book to him!”
We have not been able to reach Ajiboye. UNILORIN has not publicly commented on the issue.
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*Featured Photo: Students of Lagos State University (LASU) protesting against continuous closure of their school in Lagos on Thursday, April 30, 2015. Source: NAN.
