The Academic Staff of Universities (ASUU) has placed ban on any procession in honour of late President of the union, Festus Iyayi by the University of Ilorin. ASUU described as illegal purported planned procession by a faction of the Union at the University of Ilorin led by Professor Wahab Egbewole.

The Zonal Coordinators of Ilorin and Ibadan zones, Dr. Ayan Adeleke and Dr Adesola Nasir respectively, in a statement entitled "Do not Desecrate the memory of our late President" in Ibadan on Tuesday said "The attention of the Union has been drawn to attempts by a group led by Professor Wahab Egbewole of the University of Ilorin to desecrate the memory of the late former President of our Union, Professor Festus Iyayi, by issuing a notice of a so- called “procession” for him in the University of Ilorin."

The Union said it is still mourning the death of its former president Festus Iyayi and had not approved any procession for its branches bemoaning what it called "Hypocrisy by the illegal and court sacked faction of Professor Wahab Egbewole". A procession notice had been signed by one Dr (Mrs) Binta O. Ibrahim belonging to the Egbewole faction of ASUU intimating academic staff of planned procession in honour of the late ASUU president.

The national leadership of the union said the Union will certainly not stand for any attempt by the illegal group in the University of Ilorin to desecrate the memory of Professor Festus Iyayi ASUU said Professor Wahab Egbewole had been expelled from the Union, while his group had been declared illegal by the National Industrial Court.

The two zonal coordinators said Professor Iyayi had during his lifetime spoken against the inhuman and degrading treatment being metted out to genuine members of the union in UNILORIN, adding that It is therefore the height of provocation and insensitivity for the group to seek to make publicity gains out of the death of our late former President. It is like dancing openly on his grave.

"our late President, Professor Iyayi, who in the past had suffered the same kind of degrading and inhuman treatment being meted out to genuine ASUU representatives in the University of Ilorin, constantly spoke against the charlatanism of those who are illegally parading themselves as ASUU officials in the Branch."Indeed, Festus Iyayi was against everything that Egbewole and his group stand for in relation to ASUU. It is therefore the height of provocation and insensitivity for the group to seek to make publicity gains out of the death of our late former President. It is like dancing openly on his grave," it added.

For the avoidance of doubt, it said the Union had not authorized any procession by any branch at this point in time.

According to ASUU, all related arrangements in the Union were being solemnly and respectfully handled by a national committee of the Union, saying that it will certainly not stand for any attempt by the illegal group in the University of Ilorin to desecrate the memory of late President.