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Tag: Obafemi Awolowo University

  • Court strikes out case against OAU VC

    Court strikes out case against OAU VC

    A Federal High Court Sitting in Osogbo, Osun State on Monday struck out the NASU and SSANU Court case against the appointment of Professor Ayobami Taofeek Salami as Obafemi Awolowo University Vice- Chancellor.

    The decision which was given in court today by Justice M. A. Onyetenu was filed on 8/4/16 under Suit No: FHC/08/08/16/2016. Comrade Ademola Oketunde & others vs OAU, Governing Council.

    The court has stated that they have no jurisdiction over the matter and has in turn transferred all facts of the case to the Industrial Court, Ibadan.

    However, Stakeholders have insisted that they are waiting to see the Federal Government do the right thing by allowing Prof. Salami assume office as the properly appointed Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University.

    It will be recalled that the Senate of the OAU, on Monday, June 6th, 2016 announced the appointment of the professor of Ecology and Environmental Studies, Ayo Salami, as the new Vice-Chancellor of the institution, after a brief meeting of members of the governing council.

    Controversies have still continued to trail the appointment of the Salami, since the appointment of Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Anthony Elujoba.

  • Elujoba emerge OAU acting VC

    Elujoba emerge OAU acting VC

    After being shut down for more than 90 days, and accompanied by several court cases tendered by aggrieved parties over the eligibility of Prof Ayobami Salami, the Obafemi Awolowo University has finally chosen an acting Vice-Chancellor to steer forward the institution affairs.

    Recall that on Monday, President Muhammadu Buhari directed the Senate of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State to immediately recommend a qualified person for appointment, as an acting Vice Chancellor for the university.

    This was weeks after previously dissolving the Governing Council that declared Prof Ayobami as the VC of the institution.

    Following the standing order of the Presidency, accompanied by peaceful media protests on Social media with the #ReopenOAU on twitter, the primary wish of students was achieved after the senate declared Professor Anthony Adebolu Elujoba as the acting Vice Chancellor of the prestigious institution.

    One decision that saw members of the senate, Non-academic staff Union (NASU), Senior Staff Association for National Union, (SSANU) and Students gather in the Conference Hall, a Conference Centre and guest house situated on the School Campus for over two hours where Elujoba’s nomination led him to become OAU’s acting Vice-Chancellor, in a heated meeting lasting over two hours.

    This new development was met with jubilation from all quarters as members of staff took to the Senate building to celebrate the newest development; students all over the media joined in the celebration as they congratulated the new acting vice-chancellor.

    Prof. Elujoba is a professor of Pharmacognosis at the Obafemi Awolowo University, a Royal Society of UK Research Fellow looking into Nigerian Medicinal plants, a Public Analyst (FDA) and recipient of numerous professional awards.

    He has served as acting head of Dept of Pharmacognosis, Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy, Chairman, Committee of Deans, Chairman, Faculty PG Committee/ board of studies, Research and selection committee, member Faculty review panel, Senate Rep on OAU Teaching Hospital Management board, Member Management board of natural history museum and PG board and Dean’s rep Faculty of Technology.

    He is an external examiner at numerous university examinations while his involvement in research into medicinal plants has brought him into close association with persons living with HIV/AIDS who fondly refer to him as the ‘village chemist’.

  • The misplaced jubilation in OAU

    The misplaced jubilation in OAU

    Dr. Wole Adediran

    It gives me great shock to read that the Federal Government of Nigeria under the respected leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the disbandment of the Governing Council of Obafemi Awolwo University.

    Clearly, this action is illegal and evidently inconsistent with the extant laws governing Federal universities, the constitution and dissolution of their Governing Councils and their responsibilities and functions.

    For example, the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Act 2003, otherwise called the Universities Autonomy Act No. 1, 2007 and the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Act 2012 spell out clearly the point at which the Visitor to the federal universities can dissolve a Governing Council. Precisely, Section 2A of the Principal Act as amended provides that, ‘The Council so constituted shall have a tenure of four years from the date of its inauguration provided that where a Council is found to be incompetent and corrupt it shall be dissolved by the Visitor and a new Council shall be immediately constituted for the effective functioning of the University’.

    The Governing Council of OAU under the leadership of Prof. Rowland Ndoma Egba was constituted in March 2013. Its tenure has not expired. Two, there has not been any confirmed case of incompetence or corruption against the Prof. Egba-led Council. So, how could the Federal Government say it has dissolved it? Doubtlessly, this is a clear case of misinformation. The Federal Government was wrongly advised. And since it acted in error, the fact is that the Governing Council of OAU remains intact and valid until its tenure expires.

    Moreover, the statement credited to the Chairman of the Non-Academic Staff Union, OAU Branch, Mr. Wole Odewum, that the appointment of Prof. Ayobami Salami as the Vice-Chancellor has been nullified is false. The Governing Council in following the procedure established for the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor had on June 6 announced the appointment of Prof. Salami as the Vice-Chancellor to take over from Prof. Bamitale Omole whose tenure expired on June 23. The process that produced Prof. Salami was flawless and consistent with the provisions of extant laws.

    Therefore, neither the Visitor nor the Federal Ministry of Education can nullify the appointment. It is a misinformation to tell the public that Prof. Salami is not the substantive Vice-Chancellor of OAU. He is the validly substantive Vice-Chancellor and his five-year tenure started on the June 24, 2016. The Federal Government has no power to appoint an Acting Vice-Chancellor when a duly appointed one is in place. To do so is to breach the law and cause chaos.

    The jubilation of the workers who have no patience to allow the court to decide the case they took to it is misplaced and unwarranted, for the Federal Government’s decision is illegal and unconstitutional.

    Dr. Adediran writes from OAU, Ile-Ife.

  • Unions demand Acting VC for OAU

    Unions demand Acting VC for OAU

    The Association of Staff Union of Universities, Obafemi Awolowo University chapter, has demanded an Acting Vice-Chancellor to steer the affairs of the prestigious institution.

    This decision is in tandem with the Non Academic Staff Union as one of the issues resolved after their congress in a press Conference with Journalists in Ife, Osun state on Thursday.

    It is expected that a letter detailing the resolution of the congress will be forwarded to the congress of the university on the clamour for a new VC after which the students will be welcomed back on Campus.

    Notwithstanding, the Unions have continued to plead with the Students to understand their plight in spite of the ongoing protest and persevere for a better future in the University.

    Comrade Wole Odewunmi and Comrade Adegoke from NASU and SSANU respectively urged the students to support the agitations of both Unions, saying: “The ongoing protest is one we have to fight till the end and if won will improve the welfare conditions of the University.

    “We are fighting imposition of a new VC and mismanagement of funds, and we want to ensure that the University has a stable Calendar but we cannot currently achieve this with those in power at the moment.

    “If they were brought in illegally, then we cannot trust them to act well, students need to understand that this is a fight for the betterment of Society.”

    The Management of Obafemi Awolowo University has since shut down academic activities on June 23.

  • OAU shut down indefinitely

    OAU shut down indefinitely

    The Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State was shut down Wednesday following workers protest over appointment of the institution’s new vice chancellor, Prof. Ayobami Salami.

    Workers of the OAU under the aegis of Non Academic Staff of Universities (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (SSANU) till Wednesday intensified their protest over non-payment of allowances and alleged imposition of a Vice-Chancellor despite the ‘no work’, ‘no pay’ threat by the university’s authorities.

    The workers, who claimed that the new Vice Chancellor’s appointment was illegal, vowed to stop him from resuming office Thursday.

    The authorities shut down the university less than two days to the expiration of the tenure of the outgoing vice chancellor, Prof. Bamitale Omole.

    In a public announcement, monitored on Ife-based radio station, the university Registrar, Dotun Awoyemi, explained that the closure was to ensure the safety of students and staff.

    On the radio anouncement he said: “We have shut down the university indefinitely pending the time that we will resolve issues with our workers – NASU and SSANU. We have asked our newly students to go home and postponed the resumption of old students indefinitely.”

    The old students of the university are expected to resume next week after a two-month break.

     

  • OAU: ASUU disagrees with SSANU, NASU over new VC

    OAU: ASUU disagrees with SSANU, NASU over new VC

    As some industrial unions, including the non -teaching staff of the Obafemi  Awolowo University are kicking against the appointment of the institution’s new Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ayobami Salami, the university’s chapter of the Academic Staff Union of the Universities (ASUU) yesterday described the process producing him as free, fair and transparent.

    ‎The ASUU disagreed with Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non Academic Staff Union (NASU.)‎

    At an interactive session at the OAU ASUU’s secretariat, its chairman Dr. Caleb Aborisade, disclosed that there was a signed agreement in 2009 between the Federal Government and the ASUU on the appointment of the universities’ Vice-Chancellors.

    ‎Speaking particularly on OAU, he further disclosed that he appointment of the Vice-Chancellor was advertised and published in major national dailies, where according to him, the selection process was clearly stated.‎

    Aborisade said that the university’s Governing Council and the Senate with the committee set up for the new appointment of the Vice-Chancellor was also stated in accordance with the selection procedure that the contestants must be a professor for at least 10 years.

    ‎He averred that unions’ role in the appointment of new Vice-Chancellor was clear enough, saying that it was discussed by the congress that the current university autonomy does not factor a direct role for ASUU in the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor.‎

    “I don’t know why  Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non Academic Staff Union (NASU)‎ are faulting the process and procedure for the appointment of the new VC,” he wondered.

    Meanwhile, the non-teaching staff of the university, including  SSANU and NASU had kicked against the procedure for the selection and appointment of the new VC.

    The protesters on Tuesday shut the gate of the institution following the announcement of the appointment of the new VC, thereby paralysing academic activities on campus.

    They alleged that the new VC was sponsored to replace the outgoing Vice Chancellor, Prof. Bamitale Omole, to cover his misdeeds in office.

    The workers further alleged that Prof. Omole has mismanaged the university’s funds. ‎

  • OAU Non-Teaching staffs protest over new VC’s appointment

    OAU Non-Teaching staffs protest over new VC’s appointment

    All activities at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife were paralysed on Wednesday when the non-teaching staffs of the university locked down the instituton to protest over the appointment of the new vice chancellor, Prof Ayobami Taofeek Salami for the Institution despite court order restraining it.

    The Governing Council of the OAU had on Tuesday announced the appointment of Professor Ayobami Salami as the new vice chancellor of the institution.

    Vehicular movement came to a halt and was disrupted causing traffic gridlock for over three hours within the institution.

    The protest which is the second in less than a week was started around 8:30 am, which was led by the Chairman of Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities, (SSANU), Comrade Ademola Oketunde and Chairman Non Academic Staff Union of Universities, (NASUy, Comrade Wole Odewumi.

    The two union leaders expressed shock at the violation of court order by by the Governing Council.

    The protest started in February this year when eligible candidates were signifying interest in the post of the new VC which became vacant on the 23rd of this month.

    The protest after some hours turned to a prayer session where they were calling for God’s intervention.

    The union members also later staged their protest to the house of the VC, which was alleged to have been renovated with N150 million.

    Addressing the it’s members, Comrade Oketunde described the appointment of Prof Salami as the new VC of the university as a ‘contempt of court order’.

    “We started this protest since Tuesday when we heard that the university governing council has appointed a new VC without waiting for the court judgement we filled against them. ‎The court has ordered them not to appoint any VC until they give their judgement but they went ahead to fault this order” he said

    Oketunde disclosed that the union has filled a contempt of court against the university management and it’s governing council, adding that the case will be for hearing on Friday.

    Efforts of the outgoing VC, Prof Bamitale Omole and the Chairman of the Institution’s Governing Council, Prof Ndoma Egba to douse the tension, were not successful,

    However, Public Relations Officer, OAU,Aiodubn Olanrewaju said the guidelines for appointment of the new VC was never violated.

    Olarewaju noted that the institution’s council followed due process and ensured transparency in‎ the appointment of Prof Salami as the new VC.

  • OAU hosts African Student for Liberty Conference

    OAU hosts African Student for Liberty Conference

    The African foremost university, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife is set to host the annual African Student for Liberty Conference in Nigeria.

    The conference that is an intellectually-engaging student conference will bring together campus leaders and advocates of free society to discuss, and share practical ideas on how to promote the ideas of tolerance, liberty and markets.

    The ASFL Programs Director, Olumayo Okediran said that the event will be the third edition that will be held in the institution with two previous editions that had been held at University of Ibadan.

    Okediran said that the conference will be in tune with the theme #ShareYourStory with speakers sharing their personal experiences in the liberty movement, and how the ideas of liberty have helped them in their life pursuits.

    Speakers at the event include: Japheth Omojuwa, Editor, AfricanLiberty.org; Yael Ossowski, Program Director ESFL; Olumayowa Okediran, Programs Manager, ASFL; Martin VanStaden, Member ASFL Executive Member; Linda Kavuka, Chair ASFL Executive Member; Isack Danford, Founder Uhuru, Tanzania;

    Others include Emeka Ezeugo, Program Associate; Wale Ajetunmobi, Campus Life Editor, The Nation Newspaper; Adewale Bankole, Country Director Bastiat Society among others. The speakers will be speaking on range of practical, interesting and diverse topics as it concerns liberty today.

    The conference will be at Cooperative Building Hall, behind Zenith Bank of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile–Ife, Nigeria with the free lunch pack and coffee for every participant at the event.

    Interested applicants should apply

  • OAU ASUU to screen candidates for VC position

    OAU ASUU to screen candidates for VC position

    To ensure that the best emerges Vice-Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife‎, the institution’s branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has finalised plans to screen candidates for the position.

    It was learnt that the action was to facilitate and organize interaction with the shortlisted aspirants.

    The tenure of the current occupant, Professor Bamitale Omole, who became VC almost five years ago, expires on June 24th, 2016.

    About 12 professors had applied for the position following an advertorial in the newspapers in December 2015 but the Governing Council has shortlisted ‎6.

    With the setting up of a committee to interact with the shortlisted candidates for the position, the union has endorsed the decisions of the University Governing Council.

    It was gathered that the union, after ‎its congress meeting which took place on March 15, 2016, received reports from some of its members in the Governing Council, and concluded that the University Council acted within its powers in shortlisting candidates for the post of Vice-chancellor of the university

    The union afterward ‎appointed Professor Sat Obiyan, who heads the institution’s Department of Political Science, to head the 5-man screening committee to organize and drive the interaction process.

    Confirming the development, Obiyan explained that it was true that a committee was set up by ASUU-OAU, adding that the committee was already finalizing arrangements for the event which is likely to hold in early April.

     

  • Call for papers

    Call for papers

    A group,  the  National Collective, will  organise a conference on The Left and The Future of Nigeria at the Obafemi Awolowo University(OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State.

    This is against the background of the crises that have gripped the nation in recent times. Although various forms and kinds of arguments and explanations on the nation’s challenges are being offered, the organisers say, there is a convergence in the midst of these postulations as to the backward and almost irredeemable condition of the Nigerian State, its economy and society.

    The  conference will hold in  January. They are calling for papers relevant to the theme and sub-themes. The conference sub-themes include the place and role of the Left in a democracy/tic processes, the Left and the crisis of development and nation-building, the crisis of poverty and the role of the Left, the place of workers and students in politics, The Left, good governance and popular participation and the Left, gender and the place of women in Nigerian politics.

    Interested participants should contact the organisers via email: nationalcollective@yahoo.com for more details.