FURORE OVER APPOINTMENT OF PROF. OMOLE’S SUCCESSOR

By Damilola Towobola (Toblan Spice)

The intrigue behind the appointment of Vice Chancellor for Obafemi Awolowo University, ile-ife seems to be unending with some stakeholders within the university community approaching the court to get an injunction to frustrate the process while the World Alumni body led by Wole Oke has called them hypocrites with selfish interest.

Prof. Bamitale Omole

Series of protest by the Non academic Staff Union and SSANU had rocked the university community with NASU calling for an all encompassing process in which stakeholders in the university will also play a role. The Student community also have voiced out for a democratization of the process with Students also playing a role through representatives of the Students casting a vote in the process and VC candidates telling the Community their manifestoes.

Obafemi Awolowo University has had 10 Vice Chancellor since the establishment of the University till date. Therefore the 11^th who will replace Prof. Bamitale Omole must be the BEST man for the Job. In ensuring that the best candidate however emerge as the next vice chancellor some criteria were agreed upon which consist of Teaching, International Exposure, Publication, Supervision, Fund attraction, Years of Professor and Referees likewise funding.

The introduction of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) by the FG has eliminated the aid gotten by the universities from commercial banks based on accounts maintained with them. This implies that the next Vice chancellor must either be innovative and ingenious with respect to fund raising or be stranded.

It was gathered that about 11 individuals indicated interest for the post of the Vice Chancellor but six got shortlisted from the applicant and according to the Wole Oke’s published articles in one of the dailies, some of the Professors after getting their professorship had gone to sleep with no up to date publication, he stressed that some candidates who were qualified during the last exercise had also gone to sleep. Oke stressed further asking why ASUU has not join the wailers.

For how long will the injunction forestall the appointment of a new Vice Chancellor to replace Prof. Bamitale Omole whose tenure will expire by June 23rd and a Matriculation ceremony has been scheduled for July 21^st. Our writer takes his spectacles to examine the situation by looking at the six Shortlisted candidates for the top post. 

Professor Ayobami Salami

Prof Ayobami Salami has been in the services of Obafemi Awolowo University since 1987 and became a professor in 2003. The Professor of Geography and now Ecology Instiute head  has served in various capacity in the University ranging from ASUU , the University Senate as well as a member of the governing council both in OAU and Rufus Giwa Polytechnic.

The Alumnus of Obafemi Awolowo University despite his heavy administrative responsibility as DVC has been a catalyst and not just a spectator; as a student he was also a key player. Prof. Salami using his good office as DVC was able to facilitate maximum access of the university staff to tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) for overseas conference attendance, research grants as well as staff training and development.

He has been able to effectively combine teaching post graduate courses, publishing(with numerous academic publications to his name) and administration, the energetic professor is also a great grant mobilizer and has a good relationship with the World Bank as one time Project Manager for World Bank Sponsored Centre of Excellence (CoEX) in Software Engineering: Science & Technology Education at post-Basic levels Project in the University and the Centre leader, World Bank Sponsored African Centre of Excellence on ICT-Driven knowledge park till date.

“My vision for the University for the next 5 years(2016-2021) is hinged on the tripod of hindsight(based on lesson from history), Insight(based on reflections rather than musings) and Foresight(based on experience rather than mere desire for fancy for experimentation) All I need is the mandate and we are just 5years away from dreamland.”-Prof. Ayobami Salami.

Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede

Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede has been in the services of OAU joining as a Medical Training fellow in March 1987 and became a professor in the Department of Preventive and community Dentistry in October 2000. Prof. Ogunbodede has published 96 full-length peer-reviewed scientific journal articles, 2 books, 3 chapter contributions to books etc.

Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede. Source:Daily Trust.

The Professor with administrative experience was a member of the Governing Council of the University from 2009 to 2011. He has also served as member governing Council, OAUTHC in 2007-2009, Member Strategic Planning Committee, 2003-2011, Chairman College Alumni Relation. The Professor aims at encouraging students and staff to free their potentials and be innovative by motivating their creativity.

“OAU must develop into the incubator for national policy, research and development. I am confident that with focused leadership, we will attain this ambitious goal, thanks to the resources available to the university and our favourable antecedent” – Prof. Ogunbodede.

The former Dean of health Sciences also indicated his desire to create programmes such as Aeronautic Engineering, Library Science, Health Management, Mass Communication and others that are of strategic importance at the local, national and global levels.

Professor Olabisi I. Aina  

Prof Olabisi Aina has almost 30 Years University teaching and research experience.  She was made a Professor of Sociology by the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile – Ife, in the Year 2000, meaning a professorial experience of over 15 years.

Professor Aina received her undergraduate and post graduate trainings at the Obafemi Awolowo University, with overseas Post-Doctoral experience. Prof Aina has received series of fellowships and research awards from various national; regional; and international organizations. Her rich academic experience and scholarship led to over 70 publications in books, journals, and technical reports; plus over 50 public speeches and addresses in her area of expertise. 

Prof. (Mrs.) Aina

Apart from her contributions to undergraduate studies in Nigeria, she has produced numerous M.Sc. and PhD graduates who are now acclaimed highly in various sectors. She has served as external examiner to various Nigerian universities, and other sister universities within the African region. She is a ‘mentor without borders’, positively influencing lives of youths across the regions. 

Prof Aina has a very rich administrative experience within the Nigerian University System and at National Level as President, Nigerian Anthropological and Sociological Association (2008-2012) among others. At Obafemi Awolowo University, she served in a number of administrative positions, including Head, Dept. of Sociology/Anthropology (1999-2004); Director, Centre for Gender and Social Policy Studies (2004 – 2006); and Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences (2011-2013). She also served as Ag. Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Lagos State University, Ojoo, Lagos in 2009. She was the foundation Director of the Centre for Gender and Development Studies at the Ekiti State University, 2014.

Many seems to have ruled out the Campus Connect Initiative, Woman of Excellence because of her feminine Status and the stress associated with the top position in the University but then how many of the shortlisted men have been pregnant before? That alone shows that women have a higher capacity to handle stress.

Professor Anthony Enisan Akinlo

Prof. Akinlo.         Source: Guardian

Professor Anthony Enisan AKINLO is a Professor of Economics, with a PhD in Monetary and Development Economics from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, in 1995. He joined the services of the University in 1990 and rose to the rank of a Professor in 2000. He has over 100 publications in the areas of reforms and growth.

He has served the University in various capacities: Head, Department of Economics, 2002 to 2006; Director of Centre for Industrial Research and Development (now Institute for Entrepreneurship and Development Studies), 2007 - 2011, and a former Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences. He has equally served in various committees of the University.

Professor Akinlo has participated in many international sponsored Research works and carried out consultancies for such organizations as IDRC, African Economic Research Consortium (AERC), Institute of Developing Economies (IDE), Population Research Fund (NPF) and UNDP.

Professor Charles Akinyokun

Professor Charles Akinyokun is a professor of computer science from another University; he started lectureship in Obafemi Awolowo University in 1985 and later on moved to Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) in 1987 becoming a professor in 1995. The First class student of Computer Science and mathematics from Obafemi Awolowo University in 1979 is a man of huge potentials serving as a consultant to the Federal Government, Ondo State government, Oyo State and Osun state.

He has been actively involved in research, innovation and development in knowledge Engineering in computer Network since 1996. He is also credited with numerous academic publications that feature prominently in many reputable National and International conference, proceedings and journals.

Prof. Akinyokun attracted NRC Nigeria Ltd endowment fund on Computer Networks Facilities to FUTA in 1990; First Bank of Nigeria Endowment Fund to FUTA in 1997; CBN Endowment fund in 2002 and also that of ETF and NITD in 2010.

Also in the race for the hot seat is Professor Afolabi Akindaunsi, the Director of International Office at the Federal University of Technology, FUTA. His track record is immensely enticing and he was instrumental to exchange collaboration between FUTA and Mechanical University (FAMU), Tallahassee, United States.

The office of the Vice chancellor Obafemi Awolowo University is a noble office so the 11^th VC must possess cutting edge skill for the different task ahead. If we take OAU as a construction site, the Project Manager must be a foreman, a plumber, a carpenter and a supervisor with a great vision to see a more prosperous Obafemi Awolowo university driven with service, equity and justice for the next 5 years.