The management of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, on Wednesday said it discontinued the ‘two days off’ policy hitherto in place because it ‘disrupted service delivery, delayed essential processes, and undermined institutional efficiency.’
Members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions of OOU protested at the gate of the institution on Tuesday against what they called ‘unilateral cancellation’ of the off-duty arrangement.
The arrangement was put in place by the state government in September, 2024 as part of the palliative measures to cushion the effect of subsidy removal.
The two unions accused the vice chancellor of manipulating the university laws, insisting that the cancellation ‘is illegal,’ and unilateral, as they were not consulted by management before the decision was taken.
But addressing a press conference on Wednesday, the vice chancellor, Professor Ayodeji Agboola, said not only was the arrangement no longer justifiable; the decision to cancel it was also not taken ‘unilaterally’ as alleged.
According to him, at its 219th meeting held on Tuesday, 27th September 2025, the Governing Council reviewed university operations, including the two-days-off arrangement for non-academic staff, and noted that though well-intentioned, it had adversely affected productivity and workflow across several units.
It subsequently approved its cancellation – but appealed to for the understanding and cooperation of all staff.
Professor Agboola revealed that, indeed, the university management invited all four unions – Academic Staff Union of Universities, SSANU, NASU, and NAAT -to a meeting to discuss Council’s decision.
‘While ASUU and NAAT attended, SSANU and NASU declined,’ he said, adding that the two unions were invited to a meeting with the management three times, and they shunned the invitation the three times.
Professor Agboola further noted that a special transport allowance initially introduced to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal had already addressed the hardship that led to the off-duty policy, and so there was no longer any justification to continue it.
‘It is worth emphasizing that all senior staff – academic and non-academic -receive salaries on the same consolidated salary structure, which already ranks higher than that of federal universities. The insistence on two-days off therefore lacks any economic justification,’ he said.
On the welfare and benefits enjoyed by OOU’s non-teaching staff, he said: ‘The non-teaching staff of OOU already enjoys superior conditions of service compared to civil servants in the state. For example, Ogun State civil servants have 30 working days of annual leave. OOU grants 30 days to junior staff, 42 days to senior non-teaching staff, and academic staff enjoy 30 days of annual leave plus 26 days of research leave.
‘Despite these privileges and the special allowances in place, SSANU and NASU’s demand to work for only 14 days per month is unrealistic and detrimental to institutional integrity.’
Still debunking the two unions’ allegation that the management took the decision unilaterally, the vice chancellor said the unions once escalated their grievance to the education ministry.
According to him, despite Council’s appeals, SSANU and NASU escalated their protest to the Ogun State Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology – which reaffirmed that the governing council of each institution is ‘duly empowered to take appropriate decisions in the light of its peculiar circumstances, operational realities, and institutional sustainability imperatives.’
‘This directive was communicated to the unions, yet they continue to misrepresent the decision as management’s unilateral action.’
Addressing the allegation that the management under him had been putting staff under constant threat of sack, the vice chancellor challenged them to provide details of those that had been sacked since he took office.
‘I would have loved that they tell you how many people I’ve sacked in the last three years. No single person has been sacked by me in the last three years,’ he said.
He added that being a former union leader who had fought against such retrenchment in the past, he would not be the one to now indulge in such practices as the university’s chief executive.
Professor Agboola said he believed that the union leaders have their personal grievances against him and were merely hiding behind unionism to foment trouble.
According to him, the current agitation by these union leaders does not have the support of majority of members of the unions.
Nigerian Tribune recalls that on Wednesday morning before the media parley, the vice chancellor had a meeting with the workers to discuss the current development in the university – which was well attended, including by members of all the university unions.
‘If what they are doing is popular, would you see majority of them seated here (at Wednesday’s meeting) today? Majority of their members spoke here today, that they were hearing all these for the first time.
‘They have their personal agenda they are pursuing; nobody harassed them. I would be the last person to harass any staffer,’ he said.
Professor Agboola, however, said he is open to dialogue anytime, if the feuding union leaders want such engagement.