UNIMED slams SSANU over alleged threats to life claim
By Boye Oyeyemi –
The management of the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo State, has slammed the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) over allegations that its Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ebunoluwa Adejuyigbe, threatened the life of the union’s chairman. The university described the claims as malicious and unfounded.
In a statement signed by the university’s Public Relations Officer, Isaac Oluyi, the management said the allegation was a deliberate attempt to tarnish the Vice-Chancellor’s image amid ongoing institutional reforms.
SSANU had earlier petitioned the Nigerian Police, claiming that its Chairman, Oluwaseyi Abayomi, faced threats allegedly orchestrated by the Vice-Chancellor.
UNIMED management responded that the union resorted to blackmail after its demands were not met. The university also issued an ultimatum to the SSANU chairman to publish a retraction in two national daily newspapers or face legal action.
According to the management, the Vice-Chancellor had quickly restored the institution’s progress after a period of nepotism and tribal influence, and dismissed the allegations as a failed tactic by detractors seeking to destabilise the university. They also emphasised that UNIMED remains a model medical school recognised for excellence nationally and internationally.
“This publication is a calculated attempt to malign the personality of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ebunoluwa Adejuyigbe, who, within four months of assuming office, has taken the institution from the precipice caused by nepotism and tribal sentiments to the path of remarkable progress UNIMED has always been known for.
“The allegation of a threat to life is cheap blackmail, and it is unfortunate that some sections of the university want to dictate to the Vice-Chancellor what to do and what not to do,” the statement read.
The management warned that failure to retract the claims would prompt legal action, reiterating that the institution will not allow individual interests to override its mission and standards.
