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.
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