OOU Management Ends Two-Days-Off Policy Amid Staff Protests
The management of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) in Ago-Iwoye has announced the discontinuation of its “two days off” policy, which had been in place for non-academic staff. The decision, made on Wednesday, was described as necessary to restore institutional efficiency and prevent disruptions in service delivery.
The move came after members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions of OOU staged a protest at the university gate on Tuesday. They accused the vice chancellor of acting unilaterally in canceling the policy, which they claimed was an essential measure to support staff during a period of economic hardship.
The two-day off arrangement was introduced by the state government in September 2024 as part of measures to cushion the impact of subsidy removal. However, the unions argue that the cancellation violates university laws and is not justified.
In response, the vice chancellor, Professor Ayodeji Agboola, addressed the issue at a press conference, stating that the policy was no longer justifiable and that the decision was not taken unilaterally. He explained that the Governing Council reviewed the policy during its 219th meeting on Tuesday, September 27, 2025, and decided to cancel it due to its negative impact on productivity and workflow.
Professor Agboola emphasized that the university management had invited all four relevant unions—Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), SSANU, National Association of Teachers (NASU), and the National Association of Academic and Teaching (NAAT)—to discuss the decision. While ASUU and NAAT attended the meeting, SSANU and NASU declined, despite being invited three times.
He also pointed out that a special transport allowance had already been introduced to address the hardships caused by the fuel subsidy removal, making the two-day off policy unnecessary. Furthermore, he highlighted that all senior staff, both academic and non-academic, receive salaries under a consolidated structure that is higher than that of federal universities.
Superior Benefits for Non-Teaching Staff
According to the vice chancellor, the non-teaching staff at OOU enjoy better conditions of service compared to civil servants in the state. For example, while Ogun State civil servants are entitled to 30 working days of annual leave, OOU grants 30 days to junior staff and 42 days to senior non-teaching staff. Academic staff, on the other hand, receive 30 days of annual leave plus 26 days of research leave.
Despite these benefits, the vice chancellor argued that the unions’ demand for a 14-day work month is unrealistic and detrimental to the institution’s integrity.
Addressing Unfounded Allegations
Professor Agboola also refuted claims that the university management had been threatening staff with dismissal. He challenged the unions to provide details of any staff members who had been sacked since he took office. “No single person has been sacked by me in the last three years,” he said, adding that as a former union leader, he would not engage in such practices.
He suggested that the current agitation by the union leaders may stem from personal grievances rather than the interests of their members. “The current agitation does not have the support of the majority of members of the unions,” he said.
Open to Dialogue
Despite the tensions, the vice chancellor expressed openness to dialogue if the feuding union leaders wished to engage in further discussions. He noted that on Wednesday morning, before the press conference, he had met with workers to discuss the situation, and the meeting was well attended by representatives from all unions.
“Would you see the majority of them seated here today if what they are doing is popular?” he asked. “Majority of their members spoke here today, that they were hearing all these for the first time.”
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