In Ogun, sacked teacher cries daily, ASUSS tells Amosun
…Union pleads for reinstatement of Adegbenro
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NIGERIA: TEACHERS in Ogun State have revealed that a teacher who was sacked by the state government has been crying and lamenting since the loss of his job.
They have, therefore, pleaded with the government of Senator Ibikunle Amosun to recall Mr. Jola Adegbenro, a teacher at Mayflower School, Ikenne, who set a question for secondary school students allegedly criticising the education policy in the state.
Adegbenro was sacked after a panel of enquiry, where he appeared and defended himself, recommended his dismissal.
The teachers spoke through the Chairman of the state chapter of Academic Staff Union of Secondary School of Nigeria (ASUSS), Mr. Akeem Lasisi.
Lasisi, who spoke at the Arcade Ground, Governor’s office, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta, pleaded with Amosun to pardon Adegbenro in the spirit of 2015 Teachers’ Day.
The chairman urged the governor to show clemency and reinstate the sacked teacher.
“A teacher, who has served the state for about 20 years, wrote an offensive question we are not happy with this. The union in conjunction with ANCOPSS has already set up a disciplinary committee that will attend to this issue,” Lasisi said.
He added: “Whether we like it or not, Mr Jola Adegbenro is one of us, even though the man defended himself, both ASUSS and ANCOPSS would never be a party to a situation whereby one would bit the finger that feeds him, but the did has already been done.
“The man is seriously dying, we are celebrating World Teachers Day today, the man is somewhere crying. Your Excellency please we are pleading, consider the case of Adegbenro, he is somewhere crying, he has suffered untold hardship, he has learnt his own lesson in a very hard way.”
Lasisi also said: “This is the lesson to all of us, but in the spirit of World Teachers Day, you can see we have cracked voice, we have declared a three-day fasting in order to see your favour and we believe you will give us the World Teachers Day gift.
“We are not asking for salaries this time around, we are not asking for deductions this time around, what we are asking for is your clemency for Adegbenro.”
The union boss, who kicked against Adegbenro’s decision to set a question critical of government, stated that teachers would not be party to biting the finger that feeds them.
Lasisi commended the governor for paying their eight months deductions.
In his response, Amosun assured the teachers that he would look into the sack of Adegbenro, while promising that he would always prioritise the welfare of the teachers.
The governor, who said that government pays its workers about N9 billion monthly, urged the teachers to always do their best in improving the education sector in the state.
He promised to always pay their salary regularly, while assuring them that under his administration the rewards of teachers would not be in heaven.
