He was also alleged to be hypertensive, in view of the discovery of a pair of Novasc, an anti-hypertensive drug found beside his seat.
Professor Iyayi, it will be recalled, died on Tuesday, in a road crash involving the convoy of the governor of Kogi State, Captain Wada Idris, on Lokoja-Abuja road.
He was on his way to Kano, to attend the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of ASUU).
The remains of the activist were, however, moved to Benin, Edo State, around 12.00 noon on Wednesday, after his younger brother, Peter Iyayi, a lecturer at the Federal University, Lokoja, claimed them at the Specialist Hospital, Lokoja.
It was learnt that the brother came with some officials of ASUU, including the chairman of Ambrose Alli University chapter of the union.
The sole administrator of Kogi Specialist Hospital, Dr Paul Amodu, told newsmen in his office that the convoy of the Kogi State governor brushed the side which Iyayi sat, causing an object to pierce through his heart.
He said the deceased was found with his seat belt on, with a copy of a national newspapers he was reading in his hand
“Beside his seat was a pair of Novasc, an anti-hypetensive drug, which suggests that he might have been hypertensive,” he said.
He added that the late Professor Iyayi had no other injury or fracture arising from the crash, even as his corpse had been evacuated from the hospital.
Dr Amodu disclosed that a woman sitting in the front of the vehicle, Dr Ngozi Ilo, had part of her right hand flesh removed as a result of the crash, but with no fracture as alleged.
According to him “when she was rushed here, we discovered she had a little cut in the leg and a fracture in her Tibia bone (upper part of the leg) and a consultant, Dr Chizoba Osita Nwokese, treated her and she has since been discharged.
“I believe that what will be will be. Iyayi was just destined to die this way because nobody was unconscious in his vehicle, but only four other people in the governor’s convoy sustained injuries.
“Although he must have been hypentensive, he died as a result of a penetrating object, which went straight through his heart.”
However, the Kogi State sector commander of FRSC, Mr Olakunle Motajo, told newsmen in his office that it was too early to apportion blame, adding that the investigating team of his command had swung into action.
He said the findings of the team would later be sent to the headquarters of the corps in Abuja, before it could be made public at the end of the week.
He confirmed that only one person died, while five others sustained injuries in the accident.
Motajo denied confirming that the vehicle on Governor Idris Wada’s convoy ran into the bus the late university don and his colleagues boarded.
He added that he was embarassed when some national dailies quoted him as confirming that it was the vehicle in the convoy of the governor that ran into the vehicle of the lecturers, asking how he could said that when he was not at the scene.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on Wednesday, blamed the death of Professor Iyayi, in a motor accident, on the Federal Government, for its “criminal negligence and executive lawlessness” and on the Kogi State governor, Wada, for his impunity.
NLC president, Abdulwaheed Omar, in a statement entitled: “Iyayi did not deserve to die,” said the Kogi State governor was fast acquiring for himself an accident-prone reputation.
Omar, in the statement, said “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 road is arguably one of the busiest in the country. The contract for its dualistion was awarded about 10 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.
“In the light of the foregoing, the 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 holds the view 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,” he said.
He called on vehicles on convoys in the country to exercise utmost caution, as well as have regard for other road users, adding that “no one has monopoly of the use of public roads or thoroughfares.
Describing the death of Professor Iyayi as painful and tragic, Omar said as one of their own, Professor Iyayi’s death was not only a blow to ASUU and the congress, but also a blow to the entire country to which he committed his entire life.
Iyayi lived, died for education —Atiku
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar described the late former national chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Festus Iyayi, as a consummate scholar, writer, activist and gentleman per excellence.
The former Vice-President, in a statement by his media office in Abuja, on Wednesday, noted that “Professor Iyayi lived and died for the good of Nigeria’s education.”
The former Vice-President noted that he was diminished by the death of any individual but that the death of Profesoor Iyayi, in a ghastly auto accident Wednesday afternoon, left him benumbed.
“Professor Iyayi, no doubt, lived and died for the good of Nigeria’s education. He not only belonged to the crème-de-la-crème of the global literary world, his activism in ensuring that the standard of education in Nigeria is uplifted will doubtlessly register his name in the Hall of Fame of Nigeria’s education,” Atiku said.
The Turaki Adamawa regretted that the death of Iyayi on his way to Kano to find a solution to the intractable crisis in the Nigerian university education was a price too high to pay, especially to his family.
He noted that it was high time all stakeholders, including government and ASUU, reached an accommodation on outstanding issues to pave way for the end of the strike.
“I believe it is time for reason to prevail for FG and ASUU to reach accommodation and end this intractable logjam. All stakeholders have lost so much to this strike and the loss of Iyayi should be a wake-up call to end the ASUU strike so that the students can get on with their studies,” Atiku said.
‘His death, a big loss to academic world, nation’
By Oluwole Ige-Osogbo
Osun State governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, on Wednesday, saluted the courage with which the late former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU), Prof.essor Festus Iyayi, confronted forces of under-development in his contribution towards the growth of Nigeria, describing his death as a big loss to the academic world and the nation.
He said the sudden and tragic death of Iyayi made a sad statement on how quality lives were wasted under very avoidable circumstances of bad roads and other infrastructural decay in Nigeria.
PRONACO mourns too
Pro National Conference Organisation, PRONACO mourned the passing away of one of his strongest associate and ally, Professor Festus Iyayi, who was involved in a fatal accident on Wednesday with the convoy of Governor of Kogi State Idris Wada, in Lokoja, on his way to Kano where he was billed to intervene in the ASUU/ Federal Government logjam.
“PRONACO wishes to state that Festus Iyayi’s exit at this crucial time, when the Nation is desperately searching for National Consensus and political cohesion through the initiative of a People- driven National conference is unfortunate and a great loss to Nigerians, as Iyayi was one of the very few scholars and advocate who possessed profound understanding of the Nigerian National Question.
“We are of the view that Professor Iyayi will, therefore, be remembered for his various interventions towards the autonomy and freedom of the indigenous people and nationalities for genuine Federalism in Nigeria. His struggles for academic freedom and university autonomy in Nigeria which he pioneered in the 90s with others will also continue to resonate among the masses and youth of our country.
Unilorin ASUU blames FG on bad roads
By Biola Azeez-Ilorin
Academic Staff Union of Nigeria Universities(ASUU), University of Ilorin, Kwara State chapter, has said that the death of former national president of ASUU, Professor Festus Iyayi, in a ghastly auto crash, has further showed the state of the nation’s roads.
Professor Iyayi was killed on Lokoja-Abuja road on Tuesday, by the convoy of the Kogi State governor, Alhaji Idris Wada.
In a statement by the Unilorin ASUU, signed by its chairman, Professor Wahab Egbewole, and made available to journalists in Ilorin, on Wednesday, the union also described the incident as unfortunate, considering the mission of the affected victims to resolve the ongoing strike action of the union with the Federal Government.
“The incident showed the situation of bad roads in Nigeria which had continued to claim lives of many Nigerians. It is high time the Federal Government rose up to this ugly situation of the nation’s roads to reduce calamities in people’s home in the country”.
Iyayi’s death regrettable —Amosun
Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has expressed profound shock and regret at the death of former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Festus Iyayi, who died at the age of 66.
The governor condoled with the government and people of Edo State, ASUU and the academic community over the death of the late lecturer, writer and dogged fighter for academic and social reforms.
In a press release signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mrs Funmi Wakama, Amosun recalled the late professor’s struggle in the education sector as ASUU president in 1986 which led to his incarceration in 1988, describing his death as unfortunate.
‘His demise sad, avoidable’
The Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Honourable Adeyemi Ikuforiji, has called on the Federal Government to do all within its powers to urgently transform all the nation’s federal highways that are in the most deplorable state nationwide, in order to promptly check the needless carnage that has continued to be recorded on such roads across the country.
According to Ikuforiji in a press release signed on his behalf by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Rotimi Adebayo, while reacting to the sudden demise of Professor Festus Iyayi, a one-time President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, “the sad news of the loss of this great and illustrious Nigerian patriot, at a time when he was making strenuous efforts at resolving the protracted four-month old strike, is very sad indeed.
“It is also most unfortunate that Professor Iyayi, who had devoted his entire life to the total transformation of our nation’s universities has had to meet his end in an avoidable road crash, while on his way to Kano, for the resolution of the lingering four-month old ASUU strike.”
RATTAWU calls on FG to complete Lokoja-Abuja road
By Collins Nnabuife -Abuja
Following the Death of Professor Festus Iyayi at the Lokoja-Abuja Express road, the Radio Television Theatre and Art Workers Union of Nigeria(RATTAWU) had called on the Federal Government to complete the Lokoja-Abuja Road to avert casualties.
The National President of the Union, Comrade Oluyemisi, made this known on Wednesday, in Abuja, while briefing the press.
He said that “let’s fix the Lokoja-Abuja road which has been ongoing for more than 10 years. It is one of the strategic roads in the country, just like the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway.”
“The slow pace of the work on these roads have gone to show that no Minister goes through these roads to enable them to experience the plight of the commuters and therefore they are handled with lukewarm attitude,”he added.
He, therefore, called on the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, expedite action and ensure that these roads were completed.
Deputy speaker commiserates with ASUU
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Honouirable Emeka Ihedioha, has commiserated with the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) and family of the late Prof essor Festus Iyayi, who died in a ghastly motor accident on Tuesday.
In a condolence message, the Deputy Speaker noted that he received the news about the death of the former ASUU leader with huge shock and pains. He regretted that Profesor Iyayi died at a time his contribution was mostly needed towards peaceful resolution of the industrial dispute involving the Federal Government and the Academic Union of Nigeria Universities (ASUU).
Fayemi expresses shock, says ‘death extremely devastating’
By Sam Nwaoko -Ado Ekiti
Ekiti State governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has expressed shock at the death of the former National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Festus Iyayi.
Governor Fayemi, in a statement made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti, on Wednesday, by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olayinka Oyebode, described Iyayi’s death, in an auto crash on Tuesday, as “not only unfortunate but extremely devastating.”
He expressed regret that Iyayi died while collaborating with other ASUU officials to find an amicable solution to the ongoing strike by university lecturers.
Governor Fayemi described Iyayi as a great scholar, researcher, teacher and unionist who fought for the cause he believed in to the best of his ability.
Uniben, Oshiomhole mourn too
By Banji Aluko -Benin City
Administrative activities were, on Wednesday paralysed at the University of Benin (UNIBEN), following the death of former president of the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU), Profesor Festus Iyayi, who was a lecturer at the institution.
The don lost his life on Tuesday, while travelling to Kano for an ASUU meeting after the vehicle conveying him and three others collided with the convoy of Kogi State governor, Captain Idris Wada, around Lokoja on the Lokoja/Abuja Expressway.
People gathered in groups to discuss the death of the professor of Business Administration, even as many offices that were hitherto opened were closed.
At the residence of the Iyayis at Evbuomore, an atmosphere of gloom enveloped the air as his immediate family members grappled with the reality of the death of the foremost novelist.
Meanwhile, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has described the late Professor Festus Iyayi as a true and dedicated comrade.
Oshiomhole described the late Professor Iyayi as a true and committed Nigerian who gave up his personal comfort and joined the masses in the trenches in the fight for a better society.
In a condolence message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Peter Okhiria, Comrade Oshiomhole said Iyayi was a distinguished Nigerian, who served not only ASUU, but the whole Nigerian academic community.
“He had a passion for education and I am proud that he came from Edo State. I found him so resourceful that I appointed him a member of the Governing Council of the Ambrose Alli University.
Tribune
No comments:
Post a Comment