The Academic Staff Union of Universities , University of Lagos , has described as illegal the arrest and detention of a Professor of English, Austin Nwagbara , in Ghana.
ASUU threatened that if anything untoward happened to the don , the Ghanaian government would be held accountable.
Nwagbara was on sabbatical at the University of Education, Winneba , Ghana , when a discussion he reportedly had with some members of the Nigerian community was leaked.
A video clip of the meeting reveals the don berating Ghanaians for mistreating Nigerians despite their contributions to Ghana ’ s economy .
He asked Nigerian media houses to investigate the allegations against the Ghanaian authorities and broadcast to embarrass the government .
After the video went viral , the Winneba University sacked him.
In a statement by the school ’ s registrar , quoted by Ghana -based Starr News , the varsity said the don ’ s sabbatical at the school , which started in October 2018, had been terminated over the controversy.
“ In the said video, Prof . Nwagbara makes several unsavoury , unethical and damning comments about our country , its history as well as its educational system.
“ The university totally dissociates itself from the grossly irresponsible comments and condemns it in no uncertain terms.
“ The university after subjecting Prof . Augustine Uzoma Nwagbara to internal disciplinary process finds him culpable of gross misconduct and has, accordingly , dismissed him , ” the statement said in part.
According to Ghana ’ s Star FM , the Ghana ’ s Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs , Osei Mensah -Bonsu , backed the decision of the university.
“ We can ’ t continue to have such persons in our midst . No country will encourage that sort of a thing in its backyard, ” he said.
The lecturer was said to have been later invited by the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service.
He was reportedly accompanied by the Nigerian High Commissioner in Ghana , Ambassador Micheal Abikoye, and was allegedly subjected to hours of interrogation.
A statement by the Head of the Public Affairs Unit of the CID , DSP Juliana Obeng, said the professor was arrested for “ offensive conduct conducive to the breach of the peace . ”
It added that he was later released on bail.
Colleagues of Nwagbara at the UNILAG said the alleged harassment of the professor was wrong .
The UNILAG ASUU Chairman , Dele Ashiru, in a statement on Thursday , said the union received the reports of his alleged detention with “ anguish . ”
“ It is the opinion of our union that no matter how scathing the views of Professor Nwagbara may be to the authorities of the university at Winneba , the government and people of Ghana , the fact remains that Professor Nwagbara ’ s views should be viewed within the context of academic freedom guaranteed by Article 3 and 4 of the Kampala Declaration on Intellectual Freedom and Social Responsibility which states that
‘ No African intellectual shall in any way be persecuted , harassed or intimidated for reasons only of his or her intellectual work , opinions, gender , nationality or ethnicity.
‘ Every African intellectual shall enjoy the freedom of movement within his or her country and freedom to travel outside and re – enter the country without let , hindrance or harassment. No administrative or any other action shall directly or indirectly restrict this freedom on account of a person ’ s intellectual opinions , beliefs or activity . ’
“ In the light of the above, our union condemns in absolute terms the unwarranted harassment, intimidation and illegal detention of the erudite professor . Our union calls on the authorities of the University of Education, Winneba , relevant government agencies and the people of Ghana to ensure the safety of Professor Nwagbara ’ s life and property .
“ They should take notice that should anything untoward happens to Professor Nwagbara , the authorities of the University of Winneba and the government of Ghana would be held squarely responsible with its reciprocal consequences for Nigeria – Ghana relations and the Ghanaian community in Nigeria , ” he said in the statement .
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