NLC mourns ex-ASUU President, Iyayi; blames FG, Kogi Governor for his death

The Nigerian Labour Congress has expressed deep shock and sadness over the painful and tragic death of Professor Festus Iyayi.

The former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, was killed on Tuesday in a road crash involving the convoy of the Governor of Kogi State, Captain Wada Idris, along Lokoja-Abuja road.

Iyayi died on his way to Kano to attend a meeting as part of the process of finding an enduring solution to ASUU strike.

Others who were travelling with him are lying critically ill at the hospital.

A statement by Abdulwahed Omar, NLC President, said Professor Iyayi’s death is not only a blow to ASUU and the Congress, but a loss to the entire country to which he committed his entire life.

Describing him as a great scholar who bestrode virtually all the disciplines like a colossus, Congress noted that late Iyayi picked with remarkable ease reputable awards for his novels which were a standard read for Literary students in universities across the world.

“Iyayi was similarly a leading authority in Industrial Relations; an activist to the core, who often deploy his prodigious energy and intellectual prowess to the cause,” it said.

As President of the Academic Staff Union in 1986, Omar recalled that the deceased set the tone and pace of ASUU protests, in spite of the overbearing military government. “It certainly must be in appreciation of this that the executive of ASUU, had always thought it fit to involve him in negotiations.”

Continuing, Omar observed that “His passion for activism knew no bounds. This found expression in several ways, but we particularly take note of the years of his sabbatical with the Nigerian Labour Congress when he impacted most positively on the activities of the Congress.

“Iyayi’s death leaves a sour taste in the mouth and is totally avoidable. It is blameable on federal government’s act of criminal negligence on the one hand and executive lawlessness/impunity on the part of the Kogi State Governor who is fast acquiring for himself an accident-prone reputation.

“The Lokoja-Abuja stretch of the road is arguably one of the busiest in the country. The contract for its dualistion was awarded about ten years ago to ease vehicular movement as well as reduce carnage on the road.

“Quite sadly and unfortunately, no appreciable work has been done, thus turning the stretch of the road into a slaughter slab.

“Congress holds the federal government and the Kogi State Government accountable for the death of this eminent scholar and patriot. Several other Nigerians and non-Nigerian citizens have perished on this road too.

“Congress said that there is no justification for leaving this road, and indeed other critical roads undone. Nigerians are keen to know the facts of this contract. Government will be doing very little to help itself if it shields the criminals responsible for the non-completion of this road instead of prosecuting them.”

The NLC similarly calls on “all siren-blowing and terror-dealing convoys to exercise utmost caution as well as have regard for other road users. No one has monopoly of the use of public roads or thoroughfares. The Federal Road Safety Corps and the Nigeria Police are invited to diligently prosecute these executive lawlessness.”

Congress also urges the National Assembly to criminalise fatal road crashes as part of the process of bringing accountability to road use.

The Labour body further noted that late Professor Festus Iyayi was an eminent scholar, a great activist, an uncommon patriot, a loving father and husband and a humble friend, saying “He will be missed. He deserves to be immortalised,”