President Iyayi's death: NLC 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,”