The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Prof. Anthony Elujoba

  • Alleged fraud: Ex- OAU vice chancellor granted bail

    Alleged fraud: Ex- OAU vice chancellor granted bail

    An Osun State High Court sitting in Osogbo, on Friday granted bail to the immediate past Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife, Prof. Anthony Elujoba, and the former bursar, Ronke Akeredolu.

    The accused persons are facing a seven-count charge of fraud, conspiracy and abuse of office.

    They had been remanded in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) custody.

    The judge, David Oladimeji, granted Prof. Elujoba bail on self recognizance while Akeredolu, was granted a N50 million-bail and two sureties in like sum.

    He said the sureties must be academic and high-ranking officers within the institution.

    The judge, however, condemned the attitude of the staff and students of the institution in Ede on July 11, where the case was first heard.

    That day, irate students and workers of the institution staged a protest and compelled the judge to reverse an order sending the former vice chancellor to prison.

    They insisted he be remanded in EFCC custody, a demand the judge later complied with.

    Justice Oladimeji said such attitude could prevent the court from granting bail to the accused, noting that the bail was granted in the interest of justice.

    The accused persons were arrested on July 5.

    The EFCC counsel, Festus Ojo, had told the court that the accused committed the offences while serving as the institution’s vice-chancellor and the bursar respectively.

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges, while the judge adjourned the case till October 27 for hearing.

  • Court grants bail to OAU’s former VC, bursar

    Court grants bail to OAU’s former VC, bursar

    An Osun High Court sitting in Osogbo, on Friday granted bail to the immediate former Vice-Chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife, Prof. Anthony Elujoba, and the  former bursar, Ronke Akeredolu.

    The accused are facing a seven-count charge bordering on fraud, conspiracy and abuse of office.

    Earlier, the accused were remanded in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) custody.

    The judge, Justice David Oladimeji granted Elujoba bail on self-recognition while Ronke Akeredolu, the former bursar, was granted a N5O million-bail and two sureties in like sum.

    He said the sureties must be academic and high-ranking officers within the institution.

    The judge, however, condemned the shameful attitudes displayed by the staff and students of the institution in Ede on July 11, where the case was first heard.

    Oladimeji said that such an attitude could prevent the court from granting a bail to the accused, noting that the bail was granted in the interest of justice.

    The accused persons were arrested on July 5.

    The EFCC counsel, Mr Festus Ojo, had told the court that the accused committed the offences while serving as the vice-chancellor and the bursar of the institution.

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges, while the judge adjourned the case until Oct. 27 for hearing.

  • Prof. Elujoba: OAU students force judge to reverse remand order

    Prof. Elujoba: OAU students force judge to reverse remand order

    Students and workers of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) on Tuesday forced a judge at the Osun State High Court, Ede, Justice Oladimeji David, to reverse his earlier order remanding the ex -Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Anthony Elujoba, in Ilesha prison.

    The reversal came after the students and workers protested the judge’s ruling and locked the courtroom.

    They also prevented the judge and other officials from leaving the court premises.

    This continued until the judge ordered that the former vice chancellor should be sent to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) custody as demanded by the protesting group.

    Justice David also rescheduled the case from July 19 to July 14.

    Members of the institution’s Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) were more vocal in their protest as one of its members broke an egg on the court’s exit to prevent the judge and others from leaving the courtroom when they heard that the ex-vice chancellor should be kept at Ilesha prison.

    Some OAU students and workers also broke the court’s gate to forcefully remove Prof. Elujoba from the scene, but he refused to leave the place, saying “he will not go against the court order.”

    Prof. Elujoba and the university’s bursar, Mrs. Josephine Akeredolu, are standing trial for alleged misappropriation of N1.4 billion.

     

  • Court remands ex-OAU VC, Bursar in EFCC custody

    Court remands ex-OAU VC, Bursar in EFCC custody

    A High Court sitting in Ede, Osun State, on Friday remanded the immediate past Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, Prof. Anthony Elujoba, in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) custody.

    Elujoba and the university bursar, Mrs. Josephine Akeredolu, were arraigned for allegedly involving in corrupt practices and financial irregularities.

    The presiding judge, Justice David Oladimeji, ordered that the suspects be remanded in EFCC custody.

    The Commission arrested Elujoba and Akeredolu over alleged corruption and abuse of office on Wednesday.

    The accused persons were arraigned on a seven-count charge of intent to steal money belonging to the institution.

    They were also accused of conspiring to defraud the university, among others.

    The defence lead counsel, Ibrahim Lawal, who had earlier filed a bail application, pleaded with the court not to grant the prosecution prayer to remand the defendants in Ilesha prison but in EFCC custody, pending the hearing of the application.

    Justice Oladimeji granted the prayer of the defence counsel and ordered that Prof. Elujoba and Mrs. Akeredolu be remanded in EFCC custody pending hearing of their bail application next Tuesday.

  • Graduands urged to be instruments of change

    Graduands urged to be instruments of change

    Prof Anthony Elujoba, the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun , on Thursday tasked graduands of the university to be instruments of change to Nigeria’s challenges.

    Elujoba, who titled his address: ” The Philosophy of Doing Things Right” gave the charge during the Second Graduation Day of 42nd Convocation of the university for 2014/2015 academic session held at Ile-Ife.

    He said that the graduating students had been equipped to be exemplary in all sectors of the country and the entire world.

    He charged them to protect their honour and integrity.

    The Acting V-C entreated the graduands to utilise their gained knowledge in lecture theatres, studios and laboratories to pave way for growing challenges of their time.

    Elujoba called on them not to relent in consistent learning for more advancement, for knowledge is power which will transgress them to brighter future, and assured them that sky would be their limit.

    He admonished the school management to have close interactions with three tiers of government for them to utilise the products of university education.

    The acting Vice-Chancellor urged the graduating students to assure they do things right wherever they found themselves, at all times and throughout their lives.

    He lauded the various donors; university alumni association for their kind gifts and supports that had assisted the institution to retain the best minds in research.

    The summary of the statistics of the graduands presented by the acting Vice-Chancellor of the OAU showed that a total of 6,827 students successfully graduated.

    While 4,646 students were conferred with first degrees; 518 received Postgraduate Diplomas and 1,663 got Postgraduate Degrees.

    The best overall student with the highest number of prizes, Adebowale Adeolu Tope from Faculty of Clinical Sciences, acknowledged God for the enablement given to him to come out in flying colours.

    Tope urged his colleagues not to relent in seeking knowledge, admonished that first degree should be a stepping stone for their greater academic achievement in life.

    He counselled others to be serious with their studies and know the purpose of their admission to OAU, saying success cannot be achieved by magic, but hardworking is an answer to it.

    No fewer than 66 students graduated with first class at the 42nd convocation.

  • ASUU faults OAU council dissolution

    ASUU faults OAU council dissolution

    A visitation committee set up by the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has faulted the dissolution of the Governing Council of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife.
    The committee said President Muhammadu Buhari erred when he dissolved the Governing Council of Obafemi Awolowo Univeristy and approved the suspension of an already concluded process for the appointment of a new vice-chancellor.
    The actions, it insisted, contravened the ASUU-FGN agreement.
    The committee, which submitted its report to the NEC at a meeting in Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma last weekend, noted that “the Governing Council followed the process of selection of Vice Chancellor to its conclusion.”
    It recommended condemnation of the action of Buhari, who is the Visitor to the institution, stating that it violated the Universities Autonomy Act (UAA), which was a product of the agreement reached between the ASUU and the FGN.  
    The committee headed by the national vice president of ASUU, Prof. V. E. Osodeke, had eight members, including two zonal coordinators and three immediate past zonal coordinators.
    The committee was set up in the wake of the crisis that rocked the university following the appointment of a new VC.
    The Non-Academic Staff of Universities (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) and some members of ASUU (OAU Branch) had expressed strong displeasure against the process that produced Prof. Ayobami Salami as the 11th VC of the institution.
    They alleged the Prof. Tale Omole’s administration and the Governing Council skewed the process in favour of Salami who was subsequently appointed.
    The union bodies took the matter to the High Court at Osogbo, Osun State and embarked on a strike which led to the closure of the university for weeks.
    A faction within the OAU branch of ASUU headed by Prof. Peter Akinola sided with the two non-academic unions.
    It wrote a petition to the national body, claiming certain wrongdoings against the branch executives.
    But a High Court at Osogbo penultimate Monday struck out the case filed by NASU and SSANU challenging the appointment of Salami as VC.
    In his verdict, Justice M. A. Onyetenu stated that the court did not have jurisdiction to entertain the case.
    He asked the appellants to take the case to the Industrial Court at Ibadan Oyo State.
    Buhari, on July 1, in an advertorial published in a national daily announced the dissolution of the Governing Council of the University.
    He also ordered that the process for the appointment of a new VC to replace Prof. Omole be suspended “pending the outcome of the subsisting court case”.
    This was after the appointment process had been concluded with Salami announced as the new VC.
    In August, following the instruction of the Visitor, the Senate of the University met and appointed Prof. Anthony Elujoba as VC in acting capacity.