Mr Adeleye described casualisation of university lecturers as a form of modern slavery and the most embarrassing thing to ever happen to Nigeria's education sector.
Lecturers of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), on Tuesday protested alleged maltreatment by the Nigerian government, especially following the payment of their October salary on pro-rata basis.
The protesters, who who wore their academic gowns and marched round the campus with placards bearing various inscriptions, are members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on the campus.
Some of the inscriptions on their placards read; "Teachers Teach the Nation, but Ngige Cheats the Teachers"; "ASUU to FG: Academia cannot be Casualised, Teaching is not a Casual Endeavour"; "Buhari Stop Ngige from Jeopardising the Future of Nigerian Students", and "Hold Anti-Poor Buhari Responsible for Wasted Eight Months".
Earlier, the Chairman of ASUU, FUNAAB branch, Oluwagbemiga Adeleye, called on members of the union not to be distracted by the antics of the government, but that they should rather remain united and resolute in fighting the injustice allegedly being meted to them.
Mr Adeleye described casualisation of university lecturers as a form of modern slavery and the most embarrassing thing to ever happen to the Nigeria's education sector.
Backstory
The government refused to pay full salaries to the lecturers after they resumed from an eight months strike, insisting they only worked for 18 days.
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ASUU had suspended the industrial action after losing its appeal against the order of the National Industrial Court (NIC) which ordered that the union should resume pending the resolution of the substantive matter.
But the ASUU Chairman at FUNAAB accused the Federal government of using the judiciary as a weapon to inflict more pains on members of the union.
Mr Adeleye described the President Muhammadu Buhari - led administration as a "deaf and dumb" government which he said has failed to prioritise education and the welfare of lecturers.
He said: "This casualisation of university workers is the most embarrassing state of the academia in Nigeria, it has never been this worse, it has never been this bad.
"Judiciary is no longer the hope of the common man, the judiciary is now being used to inflict more pains on the common man. We are in an era where we have to be united more than ever before to press home our demands. The leadership of the union directed that this congress and protest rally should be held across all the branches in Nigeria."
Also speaking, the National Treasurer of ASUU, Olusiji Sowande, said the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has vowed to declare a three-day warning strike if the Federal government fails to address the casualisation of lecturers.
