In Ile-Ife, Osun State, town and gown are not on the same page on the appointment of the new Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife. But they don’t have to be on the same page on the selection, which is strictly the university’s business.
There are Ife indigenes that have a contrary view, believing the town is a stakeholder in the university’s business because it is its location, and should produce the new VC. This is a wrong-headed position.
The university has its own lawful method of choosing a VC, and the town cannot impose its preference on the institution. The indigenes that have a sense of entitlement should have a rethink.
They went too far in their protests against the appointment of Prof. Adebayo Simeon Bamire, a professor of Agricultural Economics, as the 12th substantive VC of OAU.
After the University Governing Council announced the result of the selection process, Ife indigenes that felt cheated reacted in a manner that deserves condemnation.
The university said in a statement that the protests by Ife indigenes started on March 17: “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 vandalized their office at the main gate. Some of the security staff had to be taken to the university’s health centre for treatment.”
The situation worsened on March 21. The university said: “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, coming 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.”
Interestingly, the participation of apparent devotees of Yoruba traditional religion in the protests, and their rituals, overshadowed the reported physical violence done by the protesters. Otherworldly actions raised the protests to another level as the traditionalists sought the intervention of divinities.
The university stated that “due processes were followed and merit was the basis for the appointment of the new Vice-Chancellor.” That is what right-thinking people expect.
But the protesting Ife indigenes aren’t listening. They are driven by an entitlement mentality. But they can’t win. They should let reason prevail.