OPINION: OAU VICE-CHANCELLOR'S APPOINTMENT: IS OAU REALLY GREAT?

While growing up in the streets of a cosmopolitan town in northern Nigeria, I had the rare privilege of being amongst those who have had a fore taste of western education. They served as advisers, mentors and models whose lives I struggled to emulate. My taste and hunger for intellectualism was watered by their continuous socio-cultural, political, economic and sometimes religious engagements under the dogon-yaro tree on my street. Most of them were Ife breeds and to say they were intelligent is like saying Mohammadu Buhari is the president of Nigeria. So I heard the Great Ife anthem for the first time arguably at the age of 10 or 11. I became conversant with slogans and clichés like “of the Greatest Ife! Articulate Ife! Almighty Ife Fortress” at such an early age. I grew up with that mentality of Ife or nowhere.

Consequently, the dream saw the light and I further served as a Students Representative of the most vibrant Union in Nigeria and most beautiful university in the whole of sub-Saharan West Africa. I have defended, both at home and abroad the greatness of Ife. However, there have been times when even I, had to question the much chorused greatness for several reasons such as the one currently rocking the institution – the appointment of a new Vice-Chancellor.

I have listened to the debates across the divide on the on-going crisis with respect to the appointment of Prof. Ayobami Salami as the incoming Vice-Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University. Specifically, the Non-Academic staff union (NASU) has been at the fore front of those agitating against this appointment by its continuous protest on campus and the purported injunction it (NASU) claimed it had secured from the court stopping the process. On that, the University claims it has not received any court injunction or restraining order, that what it was served was a notice of application for an injunction, which by itself is not an injunction, I think the responsibility now behoves on NASU to show the world a copy of the alleged injunction that they secured and served the University.

I know personally and very closely about five (5) of the contestants and so do not have any reason to take sides with any of them. As much as I do also have preference and wish one of them becomes the 11^th Vice-Chancellor of this citadel of learning, however, I am not part of the selection process and as such, would swallow my prejudice, but even if I was part of them (the selection team) I would definitely allow objectivity to imprison my bias. Now, for the sake of those who do not know, I will state the provisions of the statutory requirements for the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor under the Second Schedule, Section 24(2), Statute 6(1-3) of the Obafemi Awolowo University Law (as amended by degree 11 of 1993). 1. The Vice-Chancellor shall be appointed by the Visitor in accordance with the provisions in the Statute.  
2. The Vice-Chancellor shall hold office for the period of five years only on such terms and conditions as may be specified in his letter of appointment.  
3. When a vacancy occurs in the post of the Vice-Chancellor, the Council shall: (a) Advertise the vacancy in a reputable journal or a widely read newspaper in Nigeria, specifying: (i) the qualities of the persons who may apply for the post and (ii) the terms and conditions of service applicable to the post, and thereafter draw up a short list of suitable candidates for the post for consideration. (b) Constitute a Search Team consisting of: (i) A member of the Council, who is not a member of the Senate, as Chairman; (ii) Two members of the Senate who are not members of the Council, one of whom shall be a Professor; (iii) Two members of Congregation who are not members of the Council, one of whom shall be a Professor; to identify and nominate for consideration, suitable persons who are not likely to apply for the post on their own volition because they feel that it is not proper to do so. (c) Set up a Joint Council and Senate Selection Board consisting of: (i) The Pro-Chancellor, as Chairman; (ii) Two members of the Council not being members of the Senate; (iii) Two members of the Senate who are Professors, but who are not members of the Search Team. 

The Board shall consider the candidates and persons on the short list drawn up under sub-Section 
3(aii) of this Statute through an examination of their Curriculum Vitae and interaction with them and recommend to the Council suitable candidates for further consideration. (d) The Council shall select three candidates from among the candidates recommended to it under sub-Section 3(c) of this Statute and may indicate its order of preference stating the reasons thereof and forward the names to the Visitor.

It is worthy of mention, that the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement has reviewed sub-Section 3(d) of the Statute by virtue of the autonomy granted to the Universities. Now the process ends with the Council (who will finally select the best candidate and announce such persons to the general public) and not the Visitor.

For the avoidance of doubt, let us review the process so far and then judge for ourselves if the agitations by the Non-Academic members of staff are objective, reasonable and for the development of the system. Below are the timeline of events:
▪ On the 8^th of December, 2015 the University Administration took a memorandum to the 238^th Governing Council meeting stating that the position of the Vice-Chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University shall become vacant on June 23, 2016 with the expiration of the tenure of the incumbent, Prof Tale Omole. ▪ The Council also approved advertisements for the position in six National dailies around 15^th of December, 2015 with the closing date for the advertisement fixed for 26th January, 2016. ▪ A Special Meeting held on 28th January, 2016 saw the election of Chief Moses Otazi as Chairman of the Search Team. The Senate of the University and Congregation had also elected their representatives of the Search Team. ▪ Council on March 8, 2016 had another Special Meeting where the report of the Search Team was considered. The report of the Team showed that “33 Professors in about 10 Universities were searched; one (1) indicated that he had applied, four (4) promised to apply, while others declined and suggested that the University should look inward for a credible candidate”. It was at this Special Meeting of the Council that applications of all the candidates who eventually applied (11) were opened and six (6) of them shortlisted.

I have extracted the criterion that was employed as stated in the advert, “The person for the post of Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, is required to possess a good University education of a recognized University and should be a proven manager of human and material resources. Specifically, the candidate shall be expected to: Be a highly distinguished scholar of the rank of Professor of not less than ten (10) years’ experience on that rank, with ability to provide academic and administrative leadership for the University Community; Be able to command the respect of the national and international academic communities through his/her track records; Possess a clear vision for the development of the University and the realization of its mission; Demonstrate interpersonal and team building skills and possess the ability to strengthen the bridges between staff, students, other members of the University community and the University's stake holders; Exhibit entrepreneurial drive and ability to attract much needed funds and mobilize other resources for the development of the University; Enjoy excellent physical and mental health; and Have demonstrable ability to establish and maintain partnerships with local and international governmental and non-governmental agencies”.

Now for an institution like the Obafemi Awolowo University, that prides itself of highly intellectual academics, students and other staff members alongside very effective staff and students unions, these criteria are not too much. In fact it is foolish for anyone who does not have the potential to attract funds and have not attracted a penny even to his department to think of leading the institution in these times of dwindling revenue from the center and the aggressive rise in prices of goods and services coupled with constant agitations for wage increase. Imagine a Professor who has not made any contribution to knowledge in the last five years; who even scarcely interacts with the students in his department not to mention the congress of OAU students; who have busied himself gathering pecuniary gains by lecturing in over six (6) other universities across the country; who only travels out of this country to visit his wards studying abroad or on vacation; who does not have any international recognition in his chosen career path trying to lead a university such as ours.

In my candid opinion, Council has done its best by adhering to the provisos of the Statute thus far. And if you feel aggrieved, please keep your grievance to yourself. You can’t be more grieved than the contestants, but have you seen any of them challenging the process? Do you have a better knowledge of the process than they do? Why do you want to take Panadol for some else headache?
I am tired of having my future postponed to obviously baseless agitations from NASU, their hypocritical sponsors and blind supporters and I suppose it is same for other students who are concerned about their time here and want to meet up with the age requirement of the labour market. 

The fresh students who are supposed to have completed their registration by now have been rendered helpless, doing nothing and open to all manner harm. If their (NASU) demand is the alleged 64 months hazard allowance they are being owed, they should state it clearly and not hide under the guise of any form of imposition of Vice-Chancellor on them. They apparently do not have ANY say in the process of the appointment of the VC, if they want to have a say, they should agitate for a review of the laws of the university and do that through all legal means available not by constituting nuisance on campus. Come to think of it, all through the years have spent in Ife, they have never expressed their grievance in a National daily even when they have a genuine cause. I am surprised that they eventually were able to raise money to agitate for a cause that isn’t theirs to fight on National dailies.

Kudos to the unseen hands.

Comrade Jadora

"Blocked University Money Refinery A Right Move"- Immanuel Kant,Former PRO of OAU Students Union Lauds FG

CANCELLATION OF POST JAMB: A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION OR MIS-FIT?
: MY TAKE-AWAY
At the pronouncement of the Honourable Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, the conducts of post-jamb by Nigerian Universities cease to continue. Like every policy, directives, government decisions, they come with the two side of the coin. However, this decision comes with three sides- the good, the bad and the ugly.

Mixed reactions as expected have trailed this decision with some Nigerians are almost indifferent owing to the socio-economic hardship currently ravaging the Nation, some lauding and some casting aspersions at this directive and the homo-sapiens behind the decision.

“Education is golden key to unlocking the door of liberty”- A former President of the United State of America, Abraham Lincoln opined when he could not hide his sentiment for knowledge. It is a fundamental truth that a Nation that neglects its educational system has only hung its sack of impoverishment like the proverbial prodigal son. Even the Nigeria constitution in section 18 recognizes education as a public good and a responsibility of the government.

The rhetoric of education being an important foundation of nation building is one that has continued to gain currency. However, the Nigerian state still operates an educational system that could be likened to what is obtainable in the dark ages of 15th century. It is no gainsaying that the rhetoric of poor funding by the government, inadequacy of municipal facilities, examination malpractice, victimization of radical students activists, academic and academic staffs, sexual harassment, gross violation of fundamental right, poor treatment of staffs and students, mass corruption and lucid ineptitude and maladministration have taken over the Nigerian University system.

The labour market, recipient of the decay in the sector, cries of being saturated by “half-baked graduates” or better still “unemployable graduates”. It is unfortunate that the root cause of these fantastically grounded problems is being overlooked.

Upon hearing the new development on the post jamb, I was thrown into a pool of confusion and at the same time ocean of confidence. While personally, the current minister of education, Adamu Adamu by my rating is yet to live up to expectation. As his tenure has experienced and paid lip service to the gross violation of fundamental human right on Nigeria campuses such as the killing of Students in UNIPORT, the draconian imposition of “mid-semester breaks” by university administrators (Unilag, UI, AAUA, UNIPORT etc). I deem it fit to commend him on the cancellation of post-jamb.

It is a naked truth that the best method to combat corruption is not just by tackling the manifestation of corruption which the FG had tacitly adopted in her anti-corruption war but by exterminating the root cause. It has been argued that one of the dens of admission racketeering in the university system is the Post-Jamb. The policy which was a still-birth even at conception has thrown a lot of bright students into Academic wilderness and intellectual desert. I will give certain examples to buttress my argument.

A particular student (name withheld) having scored above 200+ in jamb, burnt the mid-night oil in anticipation of post-jamb examinations, needed to put up with the expensive cost of tutorials, the exposure to accident as a result of bad roads, the throat-cutting costs of post-jamb forms and result checkers (at a period when the government is yet to pay salaries), expose to sexual harassments as result of no accommodation  and at the end of the day scored less than 200 which is the supposed cut-form marks.  Is that not the case of double tragedy? Even, some struggle to manage to scale the cut-off mark hurdles yet the message is No Admission Yet.

Without prejudice to the Obasanjo Administration, the ratification of the recommendation of the committee of Pro-chancellor in 2003 headed by Barr. Afe Babalola is one of the many attacks on education.

If care is not taken in this country, I want to believe that a time is coming when the rich will have nothing to eat except the poor. The decision to scrap Post-Jamb is not only a Pro-masses policy if necessary measures are put in place but also a step in the curbing the lingering menace in the education sector.

It is almost unimaginable, and liquidly betrays the sanitized thinking of an average Nigerian to hear that one of the main reasons for instituting post-jamb was because students who “sincerely burnt the mid-night oil” and got rewarded by hard work through high scores could not prove their mettle before “stern-looking and fear invoking” professors at interview panels. It likewise stabs logic in the head to believe that because a fresh secondary school student seeking admission into a tertiary institution could not name the author of the book, A Man of the People, then the high score recorded by such student is a product of the “invincible hands of Miracle Centres”. All these are just “Pharaoh” excuses to fatten the purse of those who see educational as luxury good for the poor.

Post-jamb with all due regard to the tertiary institutions, both private and public has served as money-refinery for the universities and thus commercialized the ivory towers, i just can’t fathom how an institution that does not have the capacity to admit five thousand students will sell post-jamb forms and checkers (at exorbitant prices) to over fifteen thousand students, thus, making admission survival of the fittest and Mid-night Miracles. Where are the monies that have been generated from this exercise over the past ten years been ploughed? It is still the old rhetoric of under-funding. Who is fooling who?

Sincerely, I do not believe in short cut to success, the road to success is rough, tough and rugged but at end of the tunnel is light. Instead of lamenting over the cancellation as perceived in some quarter, we should see the positives in this policy and usher in the return of meritocracy and sanity in Nigeria university system.

In the final analysis, I strongly agree that the cancellation of post-jamb is not in any way a panacea to the problem and rot that has eaten deep into the Nigeria educational system. However, it is a step in the right direction to restoring sanity and sanctity in the system. At least, an attempt has been made at reducing the headache by administering pain-relief. After then, a wholesale treating of malaria can commence.

MY RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE ACTORS IN THE EDUCATIONAL SECTOR:
RESTRUCTURING and REINVENTING JAMB
Gone were the days when Jamb examination was seen as “Almighty” and held in high regard. Examination malpractices have become the order of the day. A total restructuring in the conduct of jamb examinations, its processes and the board itself is long overdue. It is true that the proverbial lizard will never find its way in the wall unless there is a crack. The leaking of jamb questions is not without the knowledge of “the insiders”. Jamb should devise a more secured method to prevent leaking of questions. The CBT is a welcome idea but in a country struggling with regular and relatively stable electricity, the CBT is more like putting on a SUPRA footwear on an Ankara “Buba and Sokoto”.

An all-inclusive and transparent admission mechanism should be entrenched so as to afford for meritocracy and drastically reduce and if possible eliminate favouritism and nepotism that has beclouded admission processes.

RESTRUCTURING OF SYLLABUS AND CURRICULUM FROM PRIMARY TO TERTIARY LEVEL
It is a naked truth that the Nigerian education sector is already in comatose waiting for admission at the Intensive Care Unit. The rot in the system is deep-rooted and has many branches. However, one unfortunate development is the out-dated syllabus and God-forsaken curriculum. The syllabus needs total review and curriculum needs updating. The tertiary institutions should as a matter of urgency launch and include an “Agriculture for All” Program. This sheme should extend to the primary level to the tertiary level, thus strengthening the government’s plan of diversification of the economy. This will even reduce the over-dependence on white-collar job and cyber-crime and increase employment and self-sufficiency. Restructuring the syllabus and curriculum is not just about removing Crk/Irk.

INCREASE UNIVERSITY FUNDING

While it is commendable that the budgetary allocation for education in this fiscal year is an improvement as compared to other past years, the government needs to meet the 26% budget allocation as recommended by UNESCO. Inadequacy of municipal facilities, poor or no research, students’ protest and incessant shutdown of universities are not unconnected to poor funding.

LEGISLATION OF INDEPENDENT STUDENT UNION

The ministry of education is an important sector of the economy and as such its stakeholders are quintessential as well. The students union by the provisions of chapter iv, section 40 (Right to peaceful assembly and association) are and remains an integral part of the universities. But the recent development on Nigeria campuses is not only ugly but also disheartening. The authority bans and unbans the union anyhow, criminalise their right to dissent and as such instigate campus unrest. Legislation on Independent Student Unionism will further formalize and legalise the actions and inaction of this prospective Nigeria leaders.

I want to believe that with the removal of post-jamb, Nigeria should be assured that nepotism and favoritism has seen its end and the return of meritocracy is set to begin. The era of admission racketing is gone. The money-refinery of the universities has reduced by one. The untenable admission hardship experienced in the past has and will sincerely become a thing of the past.

Time is the best Author
God bless Federal Republic of Nigeria,
God bless the Indivisible and Indissoluble Nigeria State.
Emmanuel Adeyi Ojedokun (Immanuel Kant),
PRO, OAU Students’ Union, 2014/2015 Parliamentary Year,
Convener, Cheetah Race Network
09051588508, 08066406705
IG: theadeyiemmanuel
Twitter: @Immanuelkantz
Xperience92@gmail.com

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.