Some indigenes of Ile-Ife in Osun State, on Monday, invaded the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) campus, armed with charms and other fetish objects, protesting against the appointment of non indigene as the institution’s Vice-Chancellor.
The protesting Ife indigenes closed the university’s two major gates as early as 6 a.m, thereby preventing vehicular movement from coming into the campus, while those inside the campus were disallowed from leaving.
Staff members, students and other stakeholders were also prevented from either coming into or leaving the university.
The University Governing Council led by its Chairman, Chief Owelle Udoji, had on Thursday, shortly after the council’s meeting, announced a Professor of Agricultural Economics, Adebayo Bamire, as the 12th substantive Vice-Chancellor of the institution.
Mr Abiodun Olarewaju, the Public Relations Officer of the university, however, confirmed the incident in a statement on Monday evening.
According to him, determined to forcefully install an Ile-Ife indigene as the next Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, some indigenes of Ile-Ife have invaded the campus of the university with charms and other fetish objects.
“Today, Monday, March 21, 2022, things took more dangerous dimensions as the indigenes beat up some OAU students whom they met at the gate, blocked the two major gates as early as 6 a.m, 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.
“The protesting indigenes closed the university’s two major gates, thereby preventing staff members, students and other stakeholders from either coming into or leaving the university.
“The protests by the Ife indigenes started last Thursday, March 17, 2022 shortly after the University Governing Council, led by its Chairman, Owelle Oscar Udoji, announced a Professor of Agricultural Economics, Prof. Adebayo Simeon Bamire, as the 12th substantive Vice-Chancellor.
“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 vandalised their office at the Main Gate.
“Some of the security staff had to be taken to the University’s Health Centre for treatment,” Olarewaju said in the statement.
He said that the Joint Council and Senate Selection Board shortlisted 16 candidates for the interaction for the post of Vice-Chancellor.
“The candidates whose names were arranged in alphabetical order were called in for interaction and each was scored by each member of the Selection Board.
“The score sheets of each Assessor for individual candidates were dropped into an envelope and sealed, with the signature of the Chairman of Council on each one.
“At the end of the interaction, the sealed envelopes were opened one after the other and announced to all the members.
“The score sheets were, thereafter, passed around for sighting.
“Then, the scores of the candidates were collated with Microsoft Excel and ranked from the highest to the lowest.
“The candidate with the highest score was eventually announced as the Vice-Chancellor by the Governing Council.
“For the avoidance of doubt, no member of the Board had foreknowledge of each candidate’s score before the final collation at the end of the interaction,” Olarewaju explained.
He said that the university was aware of the false presentation of the alphabetical arrangement of the applicants as the authentic list of applicants’ performance where unfounded allegations have been made of changing the “leading” candidate.
“The university hereby affirms that due processes were followed and merit was the basis for the appointment of the new Vice-Chancellor.
“The University Management implores the leadership of Ile- Ife to please call these protesters to order to ensure that the cordial relationship, which has been in existence, between the university and Ile-Ife communities is not jeopardised.”
Another set of protesters blocked all roads leading to OAU.
There was total vehicular obstruction as all roads leading to the university such as Sabo, Lagere, Enuwa, Sabo and Mayfair are blocked on Monday.
Ife indigenes expressed their displeasure over the new appointment, saying that an indigene of the ancient town could have been appointed instead.
They argued that it was unfair that none of their sons had been a substantive head of the institution since over 60 years of its establishment.
The protests broke out since March 17, when the Professor of Agricultural Economics, Bamire was announced by the institution’s Governing Council.
Bamire is a native of Oyan in Odo-Otin Local Government Area of Osun State, and was born on January 18, 1959.
He was the immediate past Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics under the former Vice-Chancellor, Prof Bamitale Omole.
Speaking on the issue, the President, Ife Development Board (IDB), Comrade Lawrence Awowoyin, appealed to Federal Government to intervene on the appointment of the new vice-chancellor for OAU, Ile-Ife.
Awowoyin said that appointing another non-Ife indigene as the V-C was an unfair act against the ancient town and its adjourning communities.
“Ife has competent and qualified candidate that can be appointed for the post, so we Ife community are not agreeing with the announcement at all.’’
The IDB president said that what happened during the appointment of Vice-Chancellor of University of Ibadan, Oyo State, “is repeating itself in Obafemi Awolowo University’’.
“It is an insult on us that after 61 years of OAU, they dimmed it unfit to appoint or to elect any of our sons. We are not particular about Ife, Ipetumodu, Origbo, Modakeke, but anywhere in the land.
“So, what I believe is that the selection was manipulated, it’s not the actual performance of the candidates they use to choose the right person.’’
The protesters stormed Enuwa, Sabo, Lagere, Mayfair and stopped at Campus gate with their placards inscribed as “No Ife, No VC in OAU’’, “Ife candidate merits it’’, “Give us OAU VC’’, among others.
The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Chief Owelle Udoji, while announcing the new VC at a news conference had, however, maintained that the council had followed due process in the selection.
As at the time of filing this report, all commercial buses in the ancient city of Ile-Ife are not working, while all markets are shut.
