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Tag: OAU VC

  • Nigeria needs effective healthcare system, says OAU VC

    Newspapers and magazines publishers in Ondo State have honoured the National President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Prof. Adebayo Faduyile.

    The Vice Chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife, Prof Eyitope Ogunbodede, delivered a lecture titled: “Transforming the Nigerian Health Sector: The Critical Roles of All Stakeholders” in Akure.

    Faduyile was conferred with the ‘Ondo State Man of the Year 2018’ by the Coalition of Newspaper Publishers in the state.

    Ogunbodede lamented that  three ingredients were lacking in the country.

    He said: “We must redesign and implement our healthcare system at all levels such that it will be less about form and more about the work to be done.

    “What we know does not seem to work anymore and healthcare system before us requires that we take a different approach and include all stakeholders in the rescue mission.”

    He noted that a value-oriented, performance-driven healthcare cannot be achieved without doctors and other healthcare workers adapting some traditions in medical practice.

    Prof Ogunmodede added: “For health to be achieved in Nigeria and for us to make the required impact, there should be efficient primary health care services coupled with effective referral system.”

    Faduyile appreciated the publishers for the honour bestowed on him, promising to justify the confidence reposed  in him.

    The Chairman of the publishers, Oludaisi Adetarami, lamented that the health sector was facing a lot of challenges, especially low budgetary allocation.

    He described Faduyile as a core medical professional whose talents were huge.

     

  • New OAU VC encourages sale of books online

    The newly appointed Vice Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile- Ife, Prof Eyitope Ogunbodede, has urged Nigerian writers and publishers to start selling their books online.  He said when writers direct people to their books by putting it online and giving them a snap shot of what the book contains, they will be interested in buying and reading.

    The VC spoke during the launch of a book titled “Standing on my Promises”, written by Evangelist Adekunbi Akin-Taylor, and launched at  Havilla-The Villa, Ikeja. Prof Ogunbodede said “there are good books written in Nigeria by Nigerians but you can’t find them on the internet. If you want people to read your book, let them be able to buy from the internet. It is a waste of time if you just write a book and put it on the shelf.

    “Because Nigerians can get all the money they use to publish their books during the launch, they just launch and go and sit down. They can even pack the book inside their rooms and lock it away. I have written books and I know what it is to write a book. For her to pull this through she must have put in a lot of efforts so, I commend her,” he said.

  • Ogunbodede emerges OAU VC

    Prof. Eyitope Ogungbenro Ogunbodede has emerged the Vice Chancellor (VC) of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State.
    The Chairman, Governing Council, Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi, yesterday made the announcement after screening 21 applications.
    Born on January 23, 1957 in Owo, Ondo State, Ogunbodede is a professor of Dentistry and former dean of Faculty and provost, College of Science.
    The new VC, who addressed reporters after his emergence, solicited workers’ support.
    He pledged commitment, determination, hard work, consultative decisions, direction, impartiality and enhancement of team approach.

  • OAU lecturers, ASUU chair in row over choice of VC

    OAU lecturers, ASUU chair in row over choice of VC

    SOME members of the ObafemiAwolowo University’s chapter of the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) yesterday accused their chairman, Dr. Celeb Aborisade, of misrepresenting the union on the  appointment of Prof. AyobamiTaofeek Salami as vice chancellor.

    Speaking with reporters in Osogbo, the state capital, Prof. Adegbola Peter Akinola of OAU Mathematics Department said it was not correct that the ASUU supported the new vice chancellor’s appointment.

    Akinola, who was accompanied by other three ASUU members, faulted Aborisade’s comment, describing it as inaccurate.

    He maintained that the process that produced the vice chancellor was “not free, fair and transparent”.

    According to him, the process was fraught with “at least two fundamental irregularities, which made it utterly unfair and decidedly skewed against all the contestants, except one person”.

    Akinola accused the OAU ASUU chairman of issuing a statement on the VC’s appointment that was not authorised by the congress.

    He described the statement as false and self-seeking.

    Akionola alleged that the outgoing vice chancellor, Prof. Bamitale Omole and “his collaborators” deliberately planned the selection to include conditions which were not originally in the advertised criteria for the appointment to the office of VC.

    He said: “This is because the selection and appointment process is at present subject of a litigation before the Federal High Court Osogbo, which had served all the necessary processes on the parties, particularly the university’s council, to hold on pending the determination of the matter on notice concerning complaints of improper process and partiality brought by SSANU and NASU of the university.

    “But while the matter was slated for hearing on June 7, the university authority surreptitiously on June 6, organised a questionable interview in Abuja at a secret location and purported to announce a candidate in utter disregard of the due process of judicial intervention. It is curious to note that three of the four internal candidates purportedly invited for the interview could not attend.”

    But Aborisade said Akinola has no right to discredit the position of ASUU on the matters.

    According to him, whatever Akinola was saying on the matter should be discountenanced because “he is saying that to cause confusion as he never attended ASUU meeting more than once in the last two years after I defeated him in the ASUU chairmanship election he contested with me.”

    On the position of ASUU at its meeting of June 6, he said: “By the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, the Federal Government has granted autonomy to the university. In the said autonomy, the Governing Councils of the Federal Universities are the only bodies given the responsibility of appointing vice chancellors based on every university’s statutory requirements. ASUU will not at any time tolerate any attempt to subvert this hard-earned autonomy.

    “The Governing Council of ObafemiAwolowo University advertised the position of vice chancellor in December 2015 with specific criteria spelt out in the advert for intending candidates.

    “A five-man search team was set up in accordance with the laid down procedure. At the end of the application deadline, the Governing Council met between March 8 and 11, 2016, and a shortlisting exercise was conducted, as stipulated in the statute of the ObafemiAwolowo University.

    “The process led to the emergence of six candidates. Congress was satisfied with the report and was consequently adopted. Congress observed that the current university autonomy does not factor a direct role of ASUU in the appointment of university vice chancellors. Going down memory lane, the previously conducted referenda seemed not to have had positive influence on the appointment of vice chancellors, but rather, had led to the polarisation of our membership.

    “After exhaustive deliberations on the subject, congress resolved to have an interaction with the candidates (rather than a referendum) and a committee was set up by the congress to organise such.”

  • Salami is OAU VC

    Salami is OAU VC

    After a deadlock riddled with legal tussle, the Governing Council of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, has approved the appointment of Prof. Ayobami Taofeek Salami as the new Vice Chancellor (VC).
    Salami, who is the former Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), succeeds Prof. Bamitale Omole.
    The Council took the decision at its meeting Monday evening after a long deliberation on the issues halting the appointment of a new helmsman.
    Council had shortlisted six candidates for the post out of whom only three, including Salami, participated in the appointment interview.
    The unions of non-teaching staff in the institution had raised eyebrow over the selection process, a development viewed by many as an efforts to stop the possible appointment of the new VC.
    The unions – Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) dragged the Council to court to halt the process on the allegation of deliberately ignoring the rules guiding appointment of a new VC.
    Salami is a former Director, Institute of Ecology in the institution.

  • Students’ leaders rally support for OAU VC

    Student Leaders’ Alliance of Nigeria (SLAN) has passed a vote of confidence on Prof Bamitale Omole, outgoing Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State.

    The group, which comprised former students’ union leaders, condemned the recent attacks on the VC, saying the people behind them knew nothing about university administration.

    In a statement by SLAN’s international coordinator Oluwaloseyi Babaeko, the group said Omole deserved commendation for improving the academic standard of the university, which global rating increased under his leadership.

    Babaeko, a masters student at the School of Politics and International Studies at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom, said: “The call for the arrest and probe of Prof Omole shows desperation for vendetta among the faceless people, who do not like developments brought about by the outgoing VC. Their argument is not only shallow; it is laughable, baseless and lacks merit.”

    He continued: “The propaganda against Prof Omole shows that the faceless people have no knowledge of history. Rather, Prof Omole deserves our respect and prayers. The misguided elements want to disparage and destroy the hard-earned reputation of Prof Omole through their parochial agenda. We condemn such act in its entirety.”

    Babaeko said the VC runs an open-door policy and makes his personal phone number available to all students.

    “For those of us who have been following and monitoring the activities of the VC, we are pleased to say it anywhere that Prof Omole has done well in administering OAU, despite the time frame. We plead with the VC to forgive those wicked individuals who want to rubbish his name. Prof Omole should act like a father,” he said.

    SLAN also called for improved funding for the university, saying OAU needed resources to maintain its academic standard it appealed to the VC to reinstate all suspended students’ leaders.

  • Who becomes OAU VC?

    Who becomes OAU VC?

    The selection of a Vice-Chancellor (VC) for the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State is generating a storm. The Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) are kicking against the process. They are accusing the Governing Council and the outgoing VC of having a favourite among the 11 shortlisted candidates for the top job. The candidates are to appear today before a joint panel of the Governing Council and the Senate. NASU and SSANU are demanding cancelleation of the exercise, but other workers want it to hold. WALE AJETUNMOBI reports.

    THE two-day screening of the 11 shortlisted candidates for  the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) vice chancellorship begins today despite the clamour of the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) that the exercise be stopped.

    The candidates, who are to appear before a joint panel of the Governing Council and the Senate, are: OAU Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academics, Prof Ayobami Salami, Prof Afolabi Akindaunsi, Prof Charles Akinyokun, Prof Olabisi Aina, Prof Eyitope Ogunbodede, Prof Yisa Yusuf, Prof Kayode Alao, Prof Anthony Akinlo, Prof Ayo Ajayi, Prof Bioye Aluko and Prof Lara Orafidiya.

    The tenure of the outgoing Vice Chancellor (VC), Prof Bamitale Omole, expires on June 24. The selection of his successor has split the workers. Many of the workers are accusing him and the selection committee of having a favourite among the candidates.

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which initially criticised the selection, has changed its position. It met with the candidates on Monday.

    But, NASU and SSANU are insisting that the process be cancelled. They are demanding the dissolution of the Council because its style does not conform with the selection rules.

    Another group of workers, under the aegis of Concerned OAU Staff, converged last weekend to rally support for the council. Led by a lecturer who simply gave his name as Adebayo, the workers said the Council’s action followed due process.

    According to them, the council deserves praise for raising the bar of excellence in the process. They accused NASU and SSANU of having a “sinister agenda”, saying the unions were being used to precipitate crisis.

    Adebayo said: “We have come to the conclusion that the positions of NASU and SSANU would subvert the autonomy of the Governing Council in the appointment of VC. We don’t want the selection of VC to destabilise the campus. This is why we commend the courage of ASUU to support the process.

    “The position of both SSANU and NASU is disappointing. They have only succeeded in the misinterpretation of the spirit of the OAU Statute. It will be wrong for anyone to interpret the OAU Statute both in spirit and letter. The conditions followed during the previous screening in 2011 are only slightly different from the criteria in the current one. The difference is that, all the candidates qualified in 2011, but it is not all the candidates that are qualified in the current exercise.”

    A member of the Senate, who pleaded not to be named, said the screening was transparent. Speaking to our correspondent on phone, he said the council is empowered to set criteria for the shortlisting of candidates.

    He said: “The case at hand is very simple. I think we are intellectuals. It won’t sound well to start creating internal contradictions in the OAU Statute. The position of the law is clear and has been duly followed. The criteria set are of international standard and are worthy.

    “I hope those agitating that some candidates should not be screened out are aware of the autonomy fought for by ASUU. Already, there is an agreement that ASUU signed with the Federal Government, which states clearly that universities should independently appoint their Vice-Chancellors. If that is the case, are the opponents of the screening process agitating that no one should be screened by the council? Do they want the council to compile a list of candidates and send to the President for approval? No, that will be against the spirit of the pact in the ASUU-Federal Government agreement. The government must respect university autonomy; dragging government into an academic matter would be the height of insensitivity.”

    Also, a professor, Akinola Fadahunsi, condemned NASU and SSANU officials, describing them as “retrogressive elements”. He said  the council should be supported, noting that any candidate who did not meet the set conditions is unfit to be VC.

    Fadahunsi said: “Who among the staff of OAU is afraid of the criteria set by council to select VC? Anyone who is not retrogressive will agree with the council on the set criteria. Of all the criteria, teaching, international exposure, publication and supervision are regular standards for promotion in all universities. The other three – fund attraction, years of professorship and referees – are usually used for post-professorial applications for different assignments in universities.

    “Besides, all the criteria are unspoken criteria daily used to judge applications for fellowships, post-doctoral fellowships, grants and international prizes in different academic areas, research and intellectual disciplines and funding agencies all over the world. For the purpose of emphasis, it must be stated that the criteria complied with international standard and best practices.”

  • Eleven professors join OAU VC race

    Eleven professors join OAU VC race

    Not fewer than 11 professors have signified intention to vie for the position of Vice Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife in Osun State.

    Investigation revealed that two contestants from outside OAU, Prof. Afolabi Akindaunsi, Director of the International Office at the Federal University of Technology (FUTA) and Prof. Charles Akinyokun are among those eyeing the exalted seat.

    Others candidates, who are alumni of OAU, are the incumbent Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), Prof. Ayobami Taofeek Salami from the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Sciences; former Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof. (Mrs.) Olabisi Aina; former Provost of the College of Health Sciences, Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede and former Dean, Faculty of Arts, Prof. Yisa Kehinde Yusuf.

    Others include the former Dean, Faculty of Education and two-term Chairman of the Committee of Deans, Prof. Alao Kayode; former Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof. Anthony Enisan Akinlo; former Dean, Faculty of Environmental Design and Management, Prof. Ayo Ajayi and the faculty’s incumbent Dean, Prof. Bioye Tajudeen Aluko.

    It was also gathered that the Governing Council has shortlisted the first six candidates, who are billed to appear before an interview session with the Council and the institution’s Senate Joint Committee between Thursday and Friday April 7 and 8 respectively.

    In an unrelated development, some staffs of the university have kicked against call for the dissolution of the Governing Council.

    It would be recalled that the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), OAU Branch, had faulted the Governing Council, arguing for its dissolution for its “deliberate and irreparable violation of the Statue and Laws for the appointment of a new Vice-chancellor.”

    They two bodies further accused the Council for not allegedly following the provision of the institution’s statutes in its bid to favour a particular candidate during the screening exercise for the aspirants.

    However, a top management staff disagreed with the position of NASU and SSANU.

    Speaking on the condition of anonymity, he insisted that their position would subvert the autonomy in the appointment of Vice-Chancellor, which was achieved by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU.)

    He noted: “The position of both SSANU and NASU is disappointing. They have only succeeded in the misinterpreting the spirit of the OAU statue. It will be very wrong for anyone to wrongly interpret the statue both in spirit and letter. The conditions followed during the last screening are not too different from the criteria set now. The only difference is that all the candidates qualified then and not all are qualified now.”

  • OAU VC: Unions battle ASUU

    OAU VC: Unions battle ASUU

    TeACHERS  and workers of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) have accused the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of working with the Governing Council to influence the choice of a VC for the institution.

    Both the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and allied institutions (NASU), in a statement by OAU’s SSANU’s Chair Ademola Oketunde and his NASU counterpart, Wole Odewumi in Ibadan, said a newspaper publication of March 24, 2016, by OAU’s ASUU’s Chair Dr Caleb Aborisade claimed that the appointment of a VC fell within the purview of the Governing Council.

    The statement reads:” On March 24, 2016, at 6.30 am, the OAU ASUU chair telephoned the SSANU chair informing him about a publication in the  Nigerian Tribune: “Appointment of VC: OAU ASUU disagrees with NASU, SSANU”, and stated that ‘’worried by the agitation by NASU and SSANU for input into the process leading to the appointment of the next vice-chancellor, ASUU, in a statement by Dr. Aborisade, faulted the move, saying the appointment of a VC falls within the purview of the Governing Council.

    He dissociated himself from the publication, promising to refute the publication.

    “Much as we would not like to join issues with ASUU, the fact that he has not written a rejoinder as promised necessitates the following response”.

    The unions reiterated that they were only ensuring that the processes of appointing a VC is fair, just and transparent.

    They noted that nine of the 16 members of the Governing Council were members of ASUU, while none is a member of NASU or SSANU.

    It added: ”Hence, ASUU is better positioned to lead other unions in this principled and progressive struggle for a neutral candidate. ASUU chairman about two years ago, was elected, through support and mobilisation by the university administration; this was repeated at his re-election; hence he acts as a stooge of the authorities and colluding with them to attempt an illegal and unlawful appointment of a VC.

    “He neither cares nor questions why two OAU ASUU aspirants, who applied and were shortlisted in 2011 were illegally not shortlisted this time around. Only NASU and SSANU are engaged in this principled struggle because we believe OAU ASUU under Dr. Aborisade’s leadership had stopped being a principled, credible and progressive union.

    “A publication in The Nation  March 28, 2016: “OAU ASUU to screen candidates for VC”, stated that ASUU would facilitate and organise interaction with the shortlisted aspirants, indicating that it had endorsed the illegal shortlisting by council; This contradicts the earlier publication in which Dr. Aborisade was quoted as saying that the appointment of a VC falls within the purview of council, besides, what purpose will the interaction serve after council unlawfully shortlisted, scored and ranked the aspirants contrary to the stipulated Status and Laws, and without any interaction with them (under Dr. Aborisade’s watchful eyes)?’’

     

    Meanwhile, their preferred aspirant was allegedly awarded a 100 per cent score. Before Dr. Aborisade emerged as chairman (and other unions) used to conduct a referendum for lawfully shortlisted aspirants and send results to council for input (prior to interview, scoring and ranking by the joint Council and Senate Selection Board).Why this too little, too late and non-impact approach by Dr. Aborisade led ASUU?”

    The union said OAU NASU and SSANU will continue to engage in principled, lawful, just and fair struggles in the interest of the University System with or without the support of OAU ASUU Chairman.

     

  • NANS disowns petition against OAU VC

    NANS disowns petition against OAU VC

    National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has disassociated itself from a  petition written by a group, Students Against Neo-Liberal Attack (ANSANLA) calling for the probe of the Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, Prof. Bamitale Omole.

    The student body said ANSANLA, which claimed to be a students group in OAU, is unknown to it. ANSANLA, last Thursday staged a protest against Omole over alleged mismanagement of fund. The protesters said many petitions had been written against the vice chancellor, saying they had enough evidence to back their allegations against him.

    But in a swift reaction, through a statement issued and signed by its Vice-President (Affairs) Comrade Timileyin Ayenuro, and made available to The Nation in Akure, the Ondo State capital, NANS faulted the group for staging a protest against the VC. It also deny having any knowledge of the petitions.

    The students body noted that the ongoing discussion among NANS, OAU management, ASUU-OAU and one Prof. Y.K. Yusuf on the crisis rocking the institution have been positive and productive. It cautioned students of the university against any action that can truncate the ongoing negotiation.

    It assured the OAU Students that union activities would soon return to the campus as effort to get the current ban revoked are ongoing.

    “NANS unequivocally disassociated itself from the activities of this unknown group calling for the probe of the Vice–Chancellor and the management team. We strongly condemn the activities of this unknown group trying to hide under the intervention on the suspended student leaders and disassociate ourselves from any of their release,” the statement said.