The Nation Newspaper

Tag: FUOYE

  • Honour for humanitarians at FUOYE

    An educationist, a Muslim cleric and a Catholic bishop were the three recipients of honorary doctorate degrees during the second convocation of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) last Saturday. RASAQ IBRAHIM reports on the epoch-making event that celebrated the honourees’ outstanding contributions to education, nation-building and humanity.

    Every generation is blessed with exceptional personalities whose accomplishments confound their fellow humans.

    An educationist, Chief Guy Gargiulo; Catholic Bishop of Ekiti Diocese Most Reverend Felix Femi Ajakaye; and Muslim cleric Alhaji Abubakar Abdullahi were recognised as belonging to the class of distinguished few when they were conferred with doctoral degrees (Honoria Causa) of the Federal University of Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) at the weekend, having utilised their resources to serve the human race in commendable circumstances.

    Chief Gargiulo and Most Rev. Ajakaye were conferred with the Degree of Doctor of Public Administration (Honoris Causa), while Alhaji Abdullahi was conferred with Doctor of Peace Studies (Honoris Causa).

    Imam Abdullahi displayed moral courage by hiding 262 Berom Christians of Plateau State in the mosque where he served as Imam, as well as in his personal home in June, last year, thereby saving them from being killed by gunmen who launched a bloody attack on 10 villages in Barkin Ladin Local Government of the state.

    In a fractious society like Nigeria, where religious fundamentalism and bigotry are on the rise, Imam Abdullah chose to show that a new Nigeria is possible where different ethnic nationalities with various religious beliefs can again live in harmony and be their brothers’ keeper.

    Chief Garguilo, a British who dedicated his life to teaching, left the comfort of Europe for a far-flung sleepy community of Okeagbe-Akoko in Akoko West Local Government Area of Ondo State to train and mentor many Nigerians, many of whom have reached the peak of their careers.

    For 60 years, Gargiulo mentored many Nigerians as a principal at Ajuwa Grammar School, Okeagbe-Akoko; C&S Academy, Ugbonla, Ilaje Ese-Odo and as headmaster at Igbobi College, Yaba, among others.

    He is reputed for helping many Nigerians to rediscover lost destinies and provided a compass for those wandering in the wilderness of difficulties and uncertainties.

    Many of his former students went on to make waves in the clergy, academia, military, police, law, Foreign Service, oil and gas, medicine, civil service, media and sports.

    Notable among his products are the Minister of State for Labour, Employment and Productivity Senator Tayo Alasoadura; immediate past Commandant, National Defence Academy, Rear Admiral Samuel Alade; Mike Igbokwe, SAN and former Speaker, Ondo State House  of Assembly, Dr. Ilufowobi Bakkita Bello.

    Others include Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, former Vice-Chairman of Mobil Oil, Otunba Solomon Oladunni, Bishop of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), the Rt. Rev.  Jacob Ajetunmobi; Human Resources Manager, International Breweries Plc, Ilesa, Mrs. Florence Justus-Oni (nee Ajimuda); The Nation Editor, Mr. Adeniyi Adesina, renowned broadcaster Mr. Ayo Ogedengbe; and Dr Foluso Arewa, consultant at the National Hospital, Abuja.

    The octogenarian fondly called GG by his students had made an indelible imprint on the sands of time in the realm of human capital development, endearing himself to thousands who had benefited from his humanitarian services.

    In his host community, Okeagbe-Akoko, Gargiulo had carried out many philanthropic activities and executed legacy projects.

    He also sponsored surgicies carried out on some needy patients, even as he bankrolled the education of physically-challenged.

    His giant strides in the education sector would not be forgotten in a hurry. These included introduction and implementation of Continuous Assessment in Ondo State Ministry of Education where he worked.

    He also introduced vocational education in Ajuwa and Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, where he served as Director of Computer Centre. He was the pioneer chairman of Ondo State Swimming Association.

    Most Rev. Felix Femi Ajakaye, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ekiti, a philantropist and an advocate par excellence is known for using the pulpit and pen to advance the cause of the poor, especially in the educational sector.

    He gave  national and international scholarships to thousands people who were financially challenged to advance their education.

    Apart from Ajakaye’s commitment to the education of poor people, he carried out many philanthropic activities including sponsoring empowerment and skill acquisition programmes, especially widows and physically challenged individuals.

    Many eminent personalities converged on FUOYE last Saturday to celebrate the trio during the university’s second combined convocation held at the institution’s hall.

    President Muhammadu Buhari, represented by a Director at Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Dr John Ojo Olusola, praised the university’s decision to honour the trio based on their integrity unlike the practice in other universities that give such awards to money bags.

    He said: “As a government, we take pride in our  popular appeal to integrity and excellence. That is why we are glad by the exemplary personalities and outstanding pedigrees of the distinguished Nigerians that the university has awarded.

    “You can never be wrong in the choice of these worthy Nigerians, who have been absolutely selfless and altruistic in their commitments to the Nigerian project.

    “The university’s decision, in this respect, I must admit, says a lot not only about the integrity of the selection process, also the quality of university’s management, especially the Vice Chancellor, Prof Kayode Soremekun.

    “That this is coming at a time when most other Nigerian universities have completely bastardised and instrumentalised such awards, offering it to the highest bidders, makes it more commendable.

    “But FUOYE chose to follow the path of honor. I congratulate you for this lofty height and call on Nigerian universities to emulate this inspiring story.”

    Soremekun said the trio deserved the honour because of their contributions to humanity.

    He said: “As you would have noticed, the choice of these outstanding gentlemen was done without any bias for materialism, favouritism or nepotism or some selfish desires. We have allowed integrity, patriotism, selflessness to guide our sense of judgment in giving the honorary awards.”

    A former President of Ajuwa Grammar School Old Students’ Association (AOSA), Dr. Tunji Abayomi, who represented Gargiulo, said the honouree was unique and believed in the uncommon philosophy of selflessness to build the destinies of the people.

    “This man Gargiulo is unique and he has built the destinies of many Nigerians, especially from Akoko region of Ondo State. Many of those he mentored are now distinguished scholars.

    “Recently, he sold the property of his father, who was an Italian Air Force officer, to buy a tractor to help Akoko farmers. This man deliberately made himself poor for others to be great.”

    Responding to the honour done him, Abdullahi hailed the university for finding him worthy of the honour, saying this would spur him to do more for the nation and humanity.

    The Islamic cleric disclosed that he rescued the Christians from being killed because of his value for human life.

    He said religious tolerance will enhance peaceful coexistence among the people, as well as prevent acrimony and animosity.

    “I did not see them as opposition in religion but human beings. I believe both Muslims and Christians are from Allah.

    “I think we should rise above religious inclination in our dealings and explore the opportunities in our diversity to better humanity. We should not allow religion to separate us because we are part of humanity”, he said in Hausa.

    Dignitaries at the event included the Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, who  appreciated the contributions of the university to socio -economic growth of Ekiti, State. He assured authorities of the federal university that the campus’ internal roads would soon be tarred by the state government.

    He also assured the university of the state government’s commitment to  partnering the university in the drive to make Ekiti the knowledge zone of Nigeria.

    The Governor, who noted that the university was yet to adopt its new name, urged President Buhari, who is the visitor to the university, to ensure that the renaming of the institution after a former governor of the old western state, the late General Adeyinka Adebayo, is implemented.

    Others present include the Pro-Chancellor, Prof Babatunde Samuel, the Chancellor, Agbabaidu Idakwo Ameh, Attah of Igala Kingdom.

    Others were Chairman, Ekiti Council of Obas, Oba Adebanji Alabi, Alawe of Ilawe-Ekiti, Oba Oluwole Ademolaju, Oloye of Oye-Ekiti, the State Commissioner of Police, Asuquo Amba, and a host of others.

    Many old students of Ajuwa Grammar School, including the Old students’ Association President Mr Funsho Akinseye; Treasurer, Olubunmi Dada and Mr. Dele Ogunsemoyin graced the occasion.

  • Between ASUU and FUOYE

    SIR: Recently, a piece entitled: “Again, ASUU alleges corruption, mismanagement, tyranny in FUOYE’, was published in one of the national newspapers. Unfortunately, the write-up in question attacked, without caution, the office and person of the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Prof. Kayode Soremekun.

    Thousands of informed and rational readers, expectant of a balanced that article, perhaps, would have consumed the piece. Such readers would be shocked to discover that the said article lacked the requisite perspectives from the other side.

    First, the piece misinformed the public that FUOYE’s local chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities had again cried out against what the writer mischievously alleged as the “impunity and administrative recklessness” of the institution’s management. The wonder here is: Which local body of ASUU was the writer referring to? This is because at the moment, ASUU in FUOYE is in disarray. There are now, in fact, several splinter groups and some of them are so disillusioned that they have decided to cast their lot with the management while some have even decided to form a separate body, distinct from ASUU.

    Secondly, the writer of the one-sided piece claimed that the ASUU zonal body raised concerns at a press briefing about “perceived docility of the federal government in acting on the allegations of administrative recklessness earlier raised against the VC, and the failure to constitute a visitation panel to the university to “correct all ills and anomalies”. But one wonders if this writer thinks that the federal government would be so naive that it would pay attention to such unfounded lies when indeed, the VC had, in several counter press briefings, adequately replied such falsehood raised against him.

    Moreover, there have been many laughable allegations by the zonal ASUU leadership which had been proved to be mere falsehood and tissues of lies. For instance, there was the allegation that the VC bought many buildings in the capital city of Ado-Ekiti, and also got involved in pension jerk ups all of which were found to be untrue as none of these accusers has been able to come up with any evidence of such property belonging to the VC. Meanwhile, pension deductions of all staff of FUOYE are duties performed only by revenue bodies in government outside the university management’s purview.

    The writer also reminded his readers about a March 5, press briefing where ASUU purportedly raised an alarm on the VC’s alleged “rule of tyranny…other sundry allegations bordering on academic patronage, financial mismanagement, rotten state of infrastructure, and students’ welfare”. Again, here lies the insincerity and misleading nature of such claims as they (local ASUU and in cahoots with the Akure zone) had yet to produce incontrovertible evidence for such malicious allegations.

    On the issue of poor infrastructure in FUOYE, while this is not a peculiar feature to the institution, there are incontrovertible pieces of evidence that students and lecturers of the university on a daily basis laud the ingenuity of the university management in providing befitting infrastructural and learning facilities in the twin campuses of the institution. Indeed, since he assumed office, the vice chancellor can boast of having initiated, built and still building over 40 projects. Those structures are not ghosts. Rather, they dot the expansive landscape of the university for any curious eye to behold!

    An attestation to the VC’s performance is a recent award of excellence given to him by FUOYE’s Students’ Union Government in recognition of his “contributions to improved learning conditions, increased accreditation of programmes leading to numerical expansion and infrastructural development in the school.”

    On the issue raised about the acting bursar of the school, recall that former bursar of FUOYE had died suddenly in 2017, and shortly after that, the then chairman of the university council, resigned and to that extent there was a vacuum. On this note, it is instructive to appreciate that only the council is responsible for setting in motion the process of appointing a substantive bursar. And it was only recently that the federal government appointed a new chairman for the governing council.

    Pray! How does this development amount to administrative recklessness and violations of the university statutes on the part of the VC?

    We would like to advise the Zonal ASUU, Akure, to live up to expectations and emulate exemplary leaders like Professors Lai Olorode, Dipo Fashina, Attahiru Jega and Assisi Asobie who have paid their dues to the union without any damage to their respective reputations.

    • Geoffery Bakji,

    PRO, Federal University Oye-Ekiti.

  • FUOYE to run dual-mode education

    The Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) will soon become a dual mode institution as it has entered into a partnership with the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) in Vancouver, Canada to develop its capacity to deliver Open Distance Learning (ODL) education, the Vice-Chancellor(VC), Prof Kayode Soremekun has said.

    Speaking with reporters in Oye- Ekiti, Soremekun said COL, an intergovernmental organisation established by the Commonwealth Heads of Government in 1988 to encourage the development and sharing of open learning and distance education knowledge and resources, is being funded mainly to enchance the quality of educational programmes of the Commonwealth nations.

    Soremekun added that COL hosts a biennial Pan-commonwealth Forum on Open learning (PCF),  and Excellence in Distance Awards programme.

    According to the VC, running the ODL mode would expand the scope of its scholarship around the globe through access to university education and exchange programme among commonwealth universities.

    He said Nigeria, as a prominent member of the Commonwealth, has representatives on COL’s Board of Governors, and this enables the country’s fast growing academic institutions to have linkages with the organisation on ODL programmes.

    Soremekun said: “I have visited COL and held series of meetings with the organisation and the matters discussed were focused on developing FUOYE with regards to quality assurance, employability and the strategy to transit FUOYE into a dual mode University.

    “Dual mode means that we are complementing our existing orthodox programmes with the Distance Learning Programme.”

  • The furore at FUOYE!

    SIR: There’s been so much plate-throwing at the upstart university and it’s becoming a source of embarrassment to Ekiti State. A paradox of epic proportion it is, that – before our very eyes, in the Fountain of Knowledge, the acclaimed land of professors and academic griots – an ivory tower, is gradually slipping into disrepute and utter decay. Of course, this should be a source of concern to all.

    The conflict had its genesis in a ‘harmless’ document, which the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) cleverly explained away as ‘housekeeping’ manual to sanitize the Federal University of Oye-Ekiti, FUOYE. The local ASUU branch at the university   had prepared the document – a glimpse into how FUOYE was being administered – and forwarded same to the supervising Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja. Between Oye-Ekiti and Abuja, the document turned out to be indicting. Sources informed it was critical of the vice chancellor who was promptly queried by the Minister of Education. And so, the battle line was drawn!

    In an apparent edge of dislike for this sort of activism, the ‘constituted’ authorities at FUOYE responded in cold brewed rage, descending heavily on some lecturers and union officials of the local branch of the ubiquitous ASUU. Tales abound of unionists, being hauled before hurriedly-constituted panels–court-martial style; and of lecturers being blackmailed into   retracting ‘statement of facts’ and other reported   forms of intimidation, blackmail and high-handedness.

    As we speak, many officials of the local branch of ASUU remain suspended from work without salary, with little prospects of returning to their jobs. Already, fringe unions within the university are bracing up for war in solidarity with ASUU. The hitherto serene academic environment has become toxic, polluted with claims and counterclaims, witch-hunting, intrigues, bickering and ‘small politics’ with immense potentials to stifle academic growth in the institution. It should not be!

    Actions like these risk balkanizing the university community into narrow sects and tribal fiefdoms where feral gangs hold sway at the expense of scholarship. We do not wish for a cultist enclave   in the form of an academic campus on our hands in Ekiti. These tragedies, if they happen, would hurt Ekiti in no small measure. The very reason therefore Ekiti State government must refrain from sitting on the fence on this crisis but lend its voice to save the young university from the path of perfidy. It’s an awful lot easier to start a war than stop one.

    Yes, FUOYE is a federal institution but federal interest in the crisis remains passive, unhelpful and indifferent   to the growing confrontation; appearing rather reluctant to choose sides. In the absence of Abuja intervening in the mode of a Visitation Panel for FUOYE, Ekiti People’s Mandate (EPM) hereby appeals to the Ekiti State government (EKSG) to move in and initiate some form of dispute resolutions. In an ideal world of rational diplomacy and thinking and by the antecedents of Governor Kayode Fayemi, Ekiti is well placed to help in settling the crisis in FUOYE. After all, Ekiti remains the landlord to the university.

    Our stake in FUOYE is high and always would remain so.  It’s raining in Oye. It’s time to get the umbrella out!

    • Terry Fade Adewale, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

  • FUOYE declares zero-tolerance for plagiarism

    Vice Chancellor, Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Oye-Ekiti Prof. Kayode Shoremekun has declared  zero-tolerance for plagiarism in the institution.

    He said  plagiarism  would affect the university status in the realm of qualitative education.

    The vice chancellor, who was represented by the Dean, Faculty of Engineering, spoke at the maiden matriculation of the School of Postgraduate Studies, at Oye-Ekiti.

    Prof. Shoremekun said it was better to give credit to the author of an intellectual property rather than stealing somebody’s work without giving credit to the owner.

    He explained that plagiarism  would negatively affect the university and also the lecturer as well as the students involved.

    He, however, urged the new students to shun acts of plagiarism in their research work for the society’s betterment.

    About 292 students matriculated for their Masters, Post-graduate Diploma and Ph.D. programmes into 30 departments across five faculty, covering 70 programmes.

    Prof. Shoremekun, who described the maiden postgraduate matriculation  has a landmark achievement, said among the 12 federal universities established by former President Goodluck Jonathan, FUOYE is leading the rest in academics and infrastructural development.

    He said the university has a population of 17,000 students for its two multi-campus.

    He urged the newly admitted students to shun any form of anti-social activities capable of disrupting smooth running of the university.

    Prof. Shoremekun also advised the students to remain focus during their educational sojourn in the institution.

    He also admonished them to manage their time very well while pursuing their academics in the institution.

    On the dwindling research endeavours by university students, particularly at the postgraduate level, Prof. Soremekun attributed this to low level of support from the Federal Government and private institutions.

    He added that for any nation to grow in Africa, there was need for qualitative research in higher institutions, saying sustainable growth and meaningful growth are only achievable via adequate and continuous research.

    He urged the government and other education stakeholders as well as postgraduate students across the nation’s universities to put in more efforts in research studies.

     

  • FUOYE students allegedly evicted from apartment without notice

    Some FUOYE students have allegedly been evicted from their respective apartments without the expiration of their rents and due notice.

    As a result of the growing population of admitted students and the insufficient hostels to accommodate them, returning students living in the host community often face hike in house rents and sometimes possible eviction without due notice. This is the case of many students, UCJ FUOYE gathered.

    Speaking to UCJ FUOYE, a victim identified as Jegede, a returning students of Theatre and Media Arts, narrated how his rent skyrocketed to 200,000 from 120,000 and was evicted from his three bedroom apartment with his friends while their rents haven’t expired nor served a quit notice.

    He said: “Our landlady called around December and told us our house rent has been increased from 120,000 to 200,000 and we pleaded with her to reduce it but she didn’t. Meanwhile, she didn’t fix our borehole and light as promised while we were living in the house. And we told her we can’t rent the apartment for 200k. On resumption in January, our loads have been packed out without the expiration of our house rent that will be due on January 27, 2019. Now, I am without a home to stay”.

    To confirm this purported claim all efforts of reaching the landlady were unsuccessful as at the time of filling this report.

    Also Bolaji Israel, a 300 level student of History & International Studies, narrated how his landlord increased his house rent exorbitantly and told him to pack out on the day his house rent expired without serving him three months quit notice as required by the tenants and landlord law of Nigeria.

    When the university’s PRO, Mr. Godfrey Bakji, was contacted in a bid to know what the school management is doing about this latest development, he said, “I don’t have any cogent information as regard that as I speak. I am outside Oye when I get there I will sample two or three opinions and get back to you on developing stories. Some of them might be evicted because of the increment in house rent”.

    Also, speaking to UCJ FUOYE, the Students Union Vice- President, Adeleye Adedapo, expressed displeasure over the issue and blamed the landlord for ignorance about the law.

    However, it’s pertinent to note that illegal eviction of a tenant from an apartment is punishable under section 401 of the criminal code: cap c 16, laws of Ekiti State 2013.

  • FUOYE celebrates lecturers

    The Federal University Oye Ekiti has lauded some of its members of staff who recently won international awards. The lecturers are Dr. Emmanuel Afolabi Bakare of the Department of Mathematics, who carted two awards: as Regular Associate of the International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Italy and the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship; Professor Sylvia Uzochukwu of the Faculty of Science; Dr. Adekoya; Dr.  Jaiyeola; Mrs. Idowu and Mrs. Adesemoye, who won participation in USAID partnership for enhanced engagement in Research Women in Science Mentoring Programme.

    In a statement, the Vice Chancellor, Prof Kayode Soremekun, said, “We are proud of this giant feat and wish them greater achievements. Dr.  Bakare’s giant stride attests to the fact that there is room for excellence anywhere and gone are the days when people sat down and complained of limited resources.

  • FUOYE Theatre students mark first decade of Achievers’ varsity

    For three days in the ancient town of Owo, Ondo State, Achievers’ University’s management celebrated the institution’s 10th anniversary in grand style. The ceremony saw guests from far and near being treated to various shows ranging from drama and cultural performances to service of songs, prayer sessions, talks and anniversary lecture. The grand finale was the convocation where about 300 graduates received their academic awards.

    A major segment of the celebration was the drama presentation by students and staff of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE). The play, which was derived from Who is afraid of job interview, written by Julie Okoh, was directed by MrTayo Isijola, a lecturer in the Department of Theatre and Media Arts at FUOYE. The performance, which was well received by the university community, dramatised on a didactic note, the basic requirements and right attitudes expected of young graduates before securing employment. It educated all job seekers on how to conduct themselves while attending employment interviews. On the team of the performers were Dr Bifatife Adeseye, the Acting Head of Department, Dr Sola Balogun, Mr Bassey Asuquo, Mr Isaac Gondo and Mr Chris.

    When asked about the mission of the institution and its first decade celebration, Dr Bode Ayorinde, the founder and leader of the joint-stock university, said the entire project was God-ordained. He recalled how he had failed in other ventures, such as agriculture and transportation and how the vision of a private university became a reality in his home town, Owo.

    According to Ayorinde, a member of the House of Representatives, many people, particularly his elders and royal fathers in his home town, doubted his ability and sincerity when he first mooted the idea. A majority of his kinsmen wrote him off, believing that he neither had the resources nor the charisma to establish a tertiary institution of such magnitude.

    “When I came up with the idea, my people doubted me, but God saw me through. They never believed it could be a reality until the NUC gave us approval to establish the private university in Owo,” said the unassuming founder of the institution who added that his venture into education was never based on any feasibility study.

    He disclosed how he joined the Bank with his Ordinary National Diploma (OND) with little or no resources and how he established a tuition centre in Ibadan to anchor some of the courses he needed to run before acquiring his Chartered Institute of Accounting (CIA) certificate. The CIA certificate courses were only available in Lagos then and he was handicapped by shortage of funds to shuttle between Lagos and Ibadan, hence he employed teachers for the remaining CIA courses and enlisted himself as a student.

    On completion of the programme, he got promoted as a banker and went on to expand the tuition centre to accommodate more students as well as introduce more programmes, such as the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Joint Admisions Matriculation Board (JAMB) coaching classes and a secondary school. Eventually, he resigned from the bank because he was earning more income from his educational business.

    Ayorinde said he later studied Law while still running his investments in education. After a few years of successful operation, he had to align with other institutions like Lead City, which obtained the licence to establish a private university ahead of him.  His words: “I later heard on radio that one of our competitors then, Lead City had obtained a licence. So, I told myself that if Lead City could get it, nothing would stop Achievers too from getting the licence. So, when I went to serve as a Special Assistant to a Senator, I used my first salary to obtain the form from the National Universities Commission (NUC). I also went ahead to acquire land in my state for the project. I also sold shares to procure enough funds to start the university. Today, I can boldly say that Achievers University is the only joint-stock university in Nigeria. Although my family owns about 55 per cent of the total shares, about 90 other people, including the traditional ruler of my town, are joint owners of the institution.”

    On how the university serves the public in relation to its mission statement, Ayorinde explained: “Our mission statement is to establish the best university in Africa. Though we are yet to meet the target we set in the first 10 years due to financial constraints, we have a master plan, which we are following religiously to achieve our objectives. The university is being propelled by parents, who pay fees for their wards and it is from that, that we manage to pay salaries. For about six years, we have been paying the equivalent of the salaries paid to lecturers as stipulated by ASUU. Besides, we do not charge exorbitant fees in view of providing world-class education. Our charges are moderate and our workforce is keying into our vision of producing the best graduates in a highly systemic way.”

  • FUOYE shut indefinitely over students’ unrest

    The management of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) has ordered an immediate closure of the institution to prevent a possible breakdown of law and order.

    The students are protesting the authority’s directive for them to complete payment of their fees before writing exams.

    FUOYE Acting Registrar, Mr. Daniel Adeyemo, said in a statement on Tuesday the university was shut down over an intelligence report that students had planned to cripple administrative and academic activities under the guise of “musical jamboree.”

    The irate students had commenced protest since Monday, insisting that they be allowed to write their semester exams despite the fact that majority of them had not completed the payment of their fees.

    Some of the students told The Nation that they had to embark on the protest because the university management rebuffed their entreaties that they be allowed to sit for their exams and complete payment of their fees later.

    A student, who craved anonymity said: “We had to protest because it appears the school management didn’t want to listen to our plight.

    “Also, some administrative officers were preventing many of us who had completed payment and had clearance slips from writing simply because they have not laminated the slips.”

    Another student said: “Some of the students protesting are not even real students of the university.

    “You won’t believe that some of these students who are disrupting academic activities on campus, had spent the fees their parents gave them on frivolous things.

    “Instead of them to go back home and plead for the fees, they are here disrupting the peace on campus.”

     

  • FUOYE students protest ‘no school fees, no examination’ directive

    Students of Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), on Monday embarked on a protest against the institution’s directive preventing students who had not paid  their school fees from sitting for the ongoing first semester examination.

    Further reports confirmed that the students, who took to the  Oye-Ikole highway, impeded vehicular movement for hours before returning to the main gate of the  institution to continue the protest.

    One of the protesters, who pleaded for anonymity,  told our reporter  that  some students were denied access to the examination hall on May 10 in spite of the fact that the deadline for the payment of school fees had not lapsed.

    It was also reported that the protest disrupted the examination.

    Read Also: FUOYE students protest dean’s removal

    But the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Godfrey Badji,  told our reporter that some students who had not  fully paid their school fees were the ones protesting.

    He said the institution’s   management had directed that  those who had not  completed payment of   their school fees should not sit  for the examination.

    “While implementing this directive, some students who had not paid their school fees were not allowed to participate in the ongoing semester   examination.

    “This is the reason why those students affected have resorted to protest this morning,” Badji said.

    NAN