OAU: Indigenes Invade Campus With Charms, Kick Against VC’s Appointment
Category: Education News
Indigenes of Ile-Ife have kicked against the appointment of the new
Vice-Chancellor for Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), protesting at the campus
using charms and arms.
The Governing Council, led by its Pro-Chancellor/Chairman, Owelle Oscar Udoji, had on Thursday, March 17, 2022, announced Prof. Adebayo Simeon Bamire, a Professor of Agricultural Economics the 12th substantive Vice-Chancellor of the university.
The Governing Council, led by its Pro-Chancellor/Chairman, Owelle Oscar Udoji, had on Thursday, March 17, 2022, announced Prof. Adebayo Simeon Bamire, a Professor of Agricultural Economics the 12th substantive Vice-Chancellor of the university.
But, the indigenes, who wanted one of their own to be installed as the next
Vice-Chancellor, were said to have immediately invaded the campus with charms
and other fetish objects, and closed the two major gates of the institution,
and prevented staff, students, and other stakeholders from entering or leaving
the campus.
According to the Public Relations Officer for the university, Mr. Abiodun Olarewaju, in a statement issued Monday, and titled: “OAU Vice-Chancellorship Appointment: Ife Indigenes Invade Campus with Charms and Fetish Objects,” the protesters, who initially blocked the main gate of the university on the first day and threatened staff and students to stay away from campus, became very violent the second day as they beat up workers, particularly the staff of the Security Unit, and vandalised their office at the Main Gate.
According to the Public Relations Officer for the university, Mr. Abiodun Olarewaju, in a statement issued Monday, and titled: “OAU Vice-Chancellorship Appointment: Ife Indigenes Invade Campus with Charms and Fetish Objects,” the protesters, who initially blocked the main gate of the university on the first day and threatened staff and students to stay away from campus, became very violent the second day as they beat up workers, particularly the staff of the Security Unit, and vandalised their office at the Main Gate.
The statement said: “Today, Monday, March 21, 2022, things took more dangerous
dimensions as the indigenes beat up some OAU students who they met at the
gate, blocked the two major gates as early as 6:00 am, and came into the
campus with charms, and other fetish items.
“They assembled at the motion ground of the University Secretariat, dressed in all-white spiritual traditional attire, chanting incantations while performing rituals.”
“They assembled at the motion ground of the University Secretariat, dressed in all-white spiritual traditional attire, chanting incantations while performing rituals.”
Olarewaju, however, stated that the Joint Council and Senate
Selection Committee shortlisted 16 candidates for the interview for the post
of Vice-Chancellor and the candidates whose names were arranged in
alphabetical order, were called in for interaction and each was scored by each
member of the Selection Board.
“The score sheets of each Assessor for individual candidates were dropped into an envelope and sealed, with the signature of the Chairman of Council on each one,” the statement added.
“The score sheets of each Assessor for individual candidates were dropped into an envelope and sealed, with the signature of the Chairman of Council on each one,” the statement added.
Piqued by the development, he said the university hereby affirmed that due
processes were followed and merit was the basis for the appointment of the new
Vice-Chancellor.
The university management, therefore, implored the leadership of Ile-Ife community to call the protesters to order so that the cordial relationship, which hitherto has been existing between the university and the Ile-Ile communities is not jeopardized.
The university management, therefore, implored the leadership of Ile-Ife community to call the protesters to order so that the cordial relationship, which hitherto has been existing between the university and the Ile-Ile communities is not jeopardized.
While recalling that at the end of the interview, the sealed envelopes were
opened one after the other and announced to all the members, he further stated
that the score sheets were thereafter passed around for sighting.
The statement further reads in part: “Then, the scores of the candidates were collated with Microsoft Excel and ranked from the highest to the lowest. The candidate with the highest score was eventually announced as the Vice- Chancellor by the Governing Council.
The statement further reads in part: “Then, the scores of the candidates were collated with Microsoft Excel and ranked from the highest to the lowest. The candidate with the highest score was eventually announced as the Vice- Chancellor by the Governing Council.
For the avoidance of doubt, no member of the Committee had foreknowledge of
each candidate’s score before the final collation at the end of the
interaction.
“The university is aware of the false presentation of the alphabetical arrangement of the applicants as the authentic list of applicants’ performance where unfounded allegations have been made of changing the leading candidate.”
“The university is aware of the false presentation of the alphabetical arrangement of the applicants as the authentic list of applicants’ performance where unfounded allegations have been made of changing the leading candidate.”
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