By Gbenga Olarinoye
Osogbo— Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife, yesterday staged a peaceful protest to register their grievances over the detention of the former Acting Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Anthony Elujoba, in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Displaying various placards such as, “ Free Elujoba now, prosecute the real thieves and criminals”, “ASUU OAU says free Elujoba now” and others denouncing the detention of Elujoba, the workers demanded for his immediate and unconditional release.
It would be recalled that an Osun State High Court, sitting in Ede on Friday, presided over by Justice David Oladimeji remanded Elujoba and the Bursar of the institution, Mrs. Josephine Akeredolu in the custody of the anti graft agency.
They were arraigned before the court over allegation of corrupt practices and financial impropriety in the university.
Elujoba and Mrs Akeredolu were arraigned on a 7-count charge of intent to steal money belonging to the institution and conspiracy to defraud the school among others.
But members of ASUU, OAU chapter yesterday protested against what they termed illegal and unwarranted detention of the former acting VC and the university bursar.
Addressing journalists on the campus of the university during the protests, the chairman, ASUU OAU caretaker committee, Comrade Niyi Sunmonu said “following the agitation of workers for payment of their legitimate allowances and the discovery of a floating huge sum of university funds (illegally kept from TSA), Professor Elujoba approved the payment od N350,000 to each senior and junior staff, respectively.”
“This payment and and his other financial actions were given covering approval by the governing council by the Governing Council as empowered. We believe that Professor Elujoba did not embezzle or mismanage any university fund”, Sunmonu maintained.
