A former president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASSU) and a renowned writer, Professor Festus Iyayi, has died in an auto crash on his way to Kano for a meeting of the union.
The accident occurred on Tuesday at about 12.30pm, local time, at Banda village near Lokoja the Kogi State capital when a security backup Hilux of the Kogi State government had a head-on collision with the car conveying the professor and other members of the union.
Professor Festus Iyayi, 66, died on the spot while other victims are receiving treatment in the state specialist hospital in Lokoja.
Those injured are said to be responding to treatment, while the remains of professor Iyayi had been deposited at the state specialist hospital morgue.
Governor Wada visited the hospital to see the accident victims and ordered investigation into the accident.
In December 28 2012, the governor’s convoy was involved in an accident that claimed the life of his aide-de-camp. In the middle of this year the governor’s ambulance while returning from a trip killed a woman who was returning from Sunday service.
Nigeria’s President, Goodluck Jonathan, has commiserated with the leadership and members of ASUU on the tragic death.
He also extended sincere condolences to Dr. Iyayi’s family, colleagues, friends and associates across the country and beyond.
President Jonathan expressed dismay by the fact that Dr. Iyayi sadly lost his life while going to contribute to efforts to finally resolve the current ASUU strike.
“God Almighty will comfort all who mourn Dr. Iyayi and grant his soul eternal rest,” President Jonathan prayed.
Professor Iyayi, a renowned academic and award-winning writer, rose to national prominence in the 1980s with his courageous leadership of ASUU in its struggle for a better working environment for teachers and academics in the nation’s university system.
He rose to the position of president of the national organization in 1986, but in 1988, the union was briefly banned and Iyayi was detained.
Professor Iyayi won the Commonwealth Prize for Literature for his book Heroes in 1988.
ASUU has embarked on a nationwide strike on July 3 halting academic activities in all Federal and State government Universities.