OAU VC: Ife indigenes protest, block major roads

All roads leading to the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, were blocked on Monday by the protesting Ife indigenes over the appointment of the new Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Adebayo Bamire.

There was total vehicular obstruction as all roads leading to the university such as Sabo, Lagere, Enuwa, Sabo and Mayfair were blocked by the protesters.

Ife indigenes, on Monday, expressed displeasure over the new appointment, saying that an indigene of the ancient town should have been appointed instead.

The protesters stormed Enuwa, Sabo, Lagere, Mayfair and stopped at Campus gate with placards inscribed as “No Ife, No VC in OAU”, “Ife candidate merits it”, “Give us OAU VC”, among others.

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 as the new VC by the institution’s Governing Council.

Speaking on the latest development, the President, Ife Development Board (IDB), Comrade Lawrence Awowoyin, appealed to Federal Government to intervene on the appointment of the new OAU Vice-Chancellor.

Awowoyin said that appointing another non-Ife indigene as the Vice-Chancellor 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,” he said.

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”.

Awowoyin added: “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 Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of OAU Governing Council, Chief Owelle Udoji, while announcing the new VC at a news conference had maintained that the Council followed due process in the selection.

When contacted for reaction, the Public Relations Officer of the university, Abiodun Olarewaju, declined comments.

As of the time of filing this report, all commercial buses in the ancient city of Ile-Ife were not working, while all markets were shut.

The Star