Kogi Convoy Drivers That Killed Ex-ASUU President Rejected FRSC training
The Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, has disclosed that convoy of Kogi State Governor, Idris Wada, had crashed three times within three months.
The FRSC Corps Marshal and Chief Executive, Osita Chidoka, disclosed this yesterday while fielding questions from journalists during this year’s Africa Road Safety Day/ World Day for Remembrance of Road Traffic Crash Victims.
The former National President, Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Prof. Festus Iyayi, died in an accident involving Wada’s convoy. Iyayi was on his way to Kano for the National Executive Council, NEC, meeting of ASUU.
Chidoka also said the Kogi State Government had not sent its convoy drivers for a special training which the FRSC designed to certify drivers for convoy driving.
He said FRSC team was still collating the facts to understand the actual cause of the accident that took the life of the erudite professor. The Corps Marshal added that it was still too early to determine the cause of the accident, adding investigation by FRSC was ongoing and would be made public when completed.
A member of the Iyayi family, Prof. Robert Ebewele, yesterday said the burial of former ASUU national chairman had been fixed for the first week of December.
Ebewele, who spoke when the Pro-Chancellor of the University of Benin, UNIBEN, Sen. Effiong Dickson Bob, paid a condolence visit to the bereaved family, said the burial would begin with a commendation service. He said the family would liaise with the university community for the burial programme.
Earlier, Bob, who was led on the visit by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Osayuki Oshodin, said he was deeply hurt over the sad incident. He said: “Though death must surely come, how and when it will come? We don’t know.
But it is unfortunate that Iyayi died in the cause of finding a university system where things are done properly. “It is my hope that his death will spur ASUU leadership to honour him by finding a lasting solution to the strike even as I urge all those who are alive to do all they could with steadfastness and courage.”
Bob, therefore, promised that the university would assist the family to give the activist a befitting funeral.
Meanwhile, the University of Ibadan chapter of ASUU, yesterday suspended forthwith all union activities and programmes. A text message sent by the union to all academic staff said the decision was sequel to Iyayi’s death.
According to the message, suspending all union activities was to honour the deceased who devoted his life to fighting injustice and served the union meritoriously.
The message reads in part: “We regret to inform you that Prof. Festus Iyayi was killed by the Kogi State governor’s convoy while on union assignment. Therefore, all union programmes are hereby postponed until further notice to mourn the dead.
Thanks. ASUU, UI.” The Chairman of UI ASUU, Dr. Olusegun Ajiboye, described Iyayi as a celebrated activist who defied threat to his life to fight for the masses.
Ajiboye regretted that Iyayi was killed through executive waywardness. He said the academic world had been thrown into mourning and “we are mourning our own killed in the hands of those who are supposed to uphold the law but break the law with impunity”.
According to him, many governors do not obey traffic light and lack the passion to help the masses during gridlock but enjoy terrorising people on the road
