Gbenro Adesina
A leading African poet and literary critic, Professor Niyi Osundare has expressed bitterness and disappointment over the inability of the University of Ibadan (UI) to organize a transparent process of electing the institution’s 13th Vice Chancellor.
He equally condemned the Nigerian politicians and public office holders who have reduced Nigeria to the pitiable state that it is currently in, saying that Nigeria is a big embarrassment.
Osundare revealed this on Tuesday June 8, 2021, while delivering a paper titled, “The Challenges of the African Humanities”, at the First International Graduate Conference of the Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan held on June 7 to 9, 2021. The theme of the conference is “The Humanities in the Age of Globalization”, with Prof Mahmood Mamdani, Makerere Institute of Social Research, Uganda, delivering the key note address.
Osundare noted that it is quite appalling and unthinkable that the gown, which supposed to be a model of civility, transparency and credibility could descend so low to find it difficult to organize a simple election for the office of VC.
“I never knew that a time will come that our University will not be able to elect a Vice Chancellor. I am not happy about our University that we cannot elect a VC”, he stated.
The poet urged the University to resist the Federal Government from imposing a VC on the institution, saying that the act is against the principle of the university autonomy.
Speaking on the Nigerian state, the literary critic bemoaned the challenges facing the country, appealing that Nigerians and other stakeholders should not allow the country to fall.
Describing Nigeria as a big for nothing nation, he pointed out that it was shameful and unfair that its political leaders are incapable of managing its affairs.
Expressing displeasure over the insecurity in the nation, he wondered how Nigeria got to where it is and the cheapness of human lives which terrorists and kidnappers take at will and with impunity.
