Gbenro Adesina
The Senate of the University of Ibadan (UI) has frowned at the unruly behaviour of the non-academic staff of the institution for assaulting the Pro-Chancellor/Chairman of the Governing Council, Nde Joshua Mutka Waklek, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Abel Idowu Olayinka, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Admin), Professor Kayode Adebowale, former Dean, Faculty of the Social Sciences, Professor Peter Olapegba and former Head of Department (HOD), Mathematics, Professor Ezekiel Ayoola.
The Senate members, who had an emergency meeting at the institution’s International Conference Centre (ICC) , between 10am and 1pm, on Wednesday November 4, 2020, to deliberate on petitions written by some of the affected members, did not mince words in condemning the assault.
The non-academic staff, comprising Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), and led by Wale Akinremi, SSANU Chairman, had on Wednesday October 28, 2020, assaulted the Pro-Chancellor, members of the Joint Council/Selection Board of the 13th VC and the six shortlisted for interview into the office of VC.
The aggrieved protesters, who were calling for the cancellation of the selection process had locked the members of the Joint Council/Selection Board in the Senate Chamber for over four hours, cutting out the electricity to the place and holding them to ransom until they coerced the Pro-Chancellor to declare the suspension of the selection process.
They also forced the Pro-Chancellor to sign an undertaken to that effect.
The Protesters also hauled different items including stones and pure water sachets to chase the six contestants away from the venue of the interview. In the process, one of the contestants, who is the current Deputy Vice Chancellor (Admin), Professor Kayode Adebowale was hit by a stone to his skull, thereby sustaining injury and was treated at the University Health Centre.
The former Dean, Faculty of Law, Professor Yemisi Bamgbose (SAN), who read the resolution of the Senate during a press conference after the Senate meeting, described the protest of the non-academic staff as unfortunate and regrettable.
She stated that unions have no role to play in the appointment of VC and that the Senate unequivocally affirmed that the process of selecting and appointing the new Vice Chancellor has been transparent and conducted within established act, thereby reiterating their confidence in the process.
The Senate, thereby moved for the immediate completion of the process.
Dissociating Senate from the protest, the Senate recommended disciplinary action against the protesting staff and any other found involved in the shameful act among the academic staff.
The Senate further holds that both SSANU and NASU has no role to play in the selection and appointment of the Vice Chancellor of the Premier University.
The Senate also agreed on the need to pacify those who were injured during the protest pending the outcome of internal disciplinary measures and to send a delegate to the Minister of Education , Adamu Adamu, to intimate him on the Senate resolution regarding the crisis.
