Gbenro Adesina
The last has not been heard of the appointment of the 13th Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan (UI), as the process which was disrupted by the institution’s non-academic staff is about to be revived. As a matter of fact, all eyes within and outside Nigeria are on the nation’s prestigious University to see if it will be able to navigate out of its current crisis to appoint a new Vice Chancellor before the expiration of the tenure of the outgoing VC, Professor Abel Idowu Olayinka on Monday November 30, 2020.
PrimeStarNews gathered that there will be a special meeting of the Governing Council on Wednesday November 25, 2020, to discuss the way forward on the appointment of the new Vice Chancellor as the tenure of Prof. Olayinka expires.
It would be recalled that the process of appointing the new VC was suspended by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Nde Joshua M. Waklek, on Wednesday October 28, 2020, due to the protest of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non Academic Staff Unions (NASU).
Some members of the two unions disrupted the meeting of the Selection Board called to interview the six candidates already shortlisted for the position of Vice-Chancellor. Their grouse was over the payment of certain claims and allowances and the candidature of the incumbent Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC), Administration, Professor Kayode Adebowale and the former Vice Chancellor, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba, Professor Olufemi Mimiko, among the shortlisted.
Following this development, the Joint Action Congress (JAC), comprising SSANU and NASU held a special meeting on Monday November 2, 2020, to appraise the situation.
At the meeting, it was unanimously agreed that the non-academic staff lack the legal power to either disqualify or recommend candidates for the selection of Vice-Chancellor.
JAC words stated, “The Congress acknowledged that we have no right to disqualify/recommend candidates for the selection of Vice Chancellor.
“That the selection process should continue but insisted that it must be fair to all candidates and stakeholders.
“It further stated that whatever happens thereafter about the character of whosoever emerges as the VC especially, if he turns out despotic, will vindicate their earlier opposing view/action, which will be on record.
“That our priority now is how to get our legitimate demands addressed within a week. JAC Congress oblige to open bursary and establishment section in order to facilitate our demands.
Also, the Senate of the Premier University, in an emergency Senate Meeting held on Wednesday November 4, 2020, condemned the non-academic staff for disrupting the appointment of the 13th Vice Chancellor, calling for sanctions against anyone investigated to have been involved in the act.
Describing the protest as unfortunate, the former Dean, Faculty of Law, Professor Oluyemisi Bamgbose, who addressed newsmen after the Senate Meeting stated that unions have no role to play in the appointment of VC.
The Body affirmed that the process of selecting and appointing the new Vice Chancellor has been transparent and conducted within established act as well as reiterating their confidence in the process.
The Senate, thereby, moved for the immediate completion of the process.
Likewise, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), while condemning, in strongest terms, the disruption of the meeting of the Selection Board for the interview of shortlisted candidates for the position of Vice Chancellor, appealed to the Council to provide a level playing ground for all shortlisted candidates as it proceeds to complete the process of appointment.
Sharing its thought on the saga, the National Association of Academic Technologist (NAAT), UI Branch, said that its interest is to ensure that the process is credible.
Speaking on behalf of NAAT, its Public Relations Officer (PRO), Comrade Okoji Oluseun said, “Our position as NAAT is that the process of the selection must be transparent, free and fair to allow a level playing ground for all the contestants”.
“NAAT had before now, organised an interactive session for all the candidates, thereby placing them (eleven of them), on a hot seat for about 3-5hrs on different days, where each candidate presented his vision and mission for the Institution. Remarks were made on every candidate and the comprehensive report of the committee was handed over to the Pro Chancellor of the University. The committee, therefore, concluded in its report that the selection of the 13th Vice Chancellor must be purely on merit to give peace a chance in the University”, NAAT concluded.
However, in a letter written by the Chairman of Council to report the protest to the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, Waklek assured the Minister that the situation was under control.
He further assured the minister that Council would continue the process in accordance with extant rules and regulations guiding the process as soon as the atmosphere is clear and that the Minister would be informed of the outcome appropriately.
In the midst of disruption of the process of appointing the VC, the Federal Ministry of Education and National Universities Commission (NUC), have provided an excellent oversight function, while giving due recognition and respect to the autonomy of universities as stipulated in the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amended) Act 2003. This is despite all efforts to the contrary by various parties with all kinds of interests.
Moving forward, it is only proper for the Governing Council to act in accordance with the letter written by its Chairman to reconvene and complete the earlier suspended process of appointing a Vice Chancellor in the best interest and overall good of the University. It is hoped that all interested parties within and outside the Premier University community will transcend all personal interests and ambitions as well as all ethnic and religious prejudices and act in the best interest of the University of Ibadan. This is the only way to proceed if the Premier University will remain truly the best.
The fringe elements angling to scuttle the process with a barely disguised preference for the arbitrary appointment of an acting Vice-Chancellor obviously do not wish the premier University in Nigeria well; they are apparently unaware of the extant regulations governing the process and/or choose to close their eyes and minds to the path of legality, morality and decency.
