Not fewer than 11 professors have signified intention to vie for the position of Vice Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife in Osun State.
Investigation revealed that two contestants from outside OAU, Prof. Afolabi Akindaunsi, Director of the International Office at the Federal University of Technology (FUTA) and Prof. Charles Akinyokun are among those eyeing the exalted seat.
Others candidates, who are alumni of OAU, are the incumbent Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), Prof. Ayobami Taofeek Salami from the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Sciences; former Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof. (Mrs.) Olabisi Aina; former Provost of the College of Health Sciences, Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede and former Dean, Faculty of Arts, Prof. Yisa Kehinde Yusuf.
Others include the former Dean, Faculty of Education and two-term Chairman of the Committee of Deans, Prof. Alao Kayode; former Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof. Anthony Enisan Akinlo; former Dean, Faculty of Environmental Design and Management, Prof. Ayo Ajayi and the faculty’s incumbent Dean, Prof. Bioye Tajudeen Aluko.
It was also gathered that the Governing Council has shortlisted the first six candidates, who are
billed to appear before an interview session with the Council and the institution’s Senate Joint Committee between Thursday and Friday April 7 and 8 respectively.
billed to appear before an interview session with the Council and the institution’s Senate Joint Committee between Thursday and Friday April 7 and 8 respectively.
In an unrelated development, some staffs of the university have kicked against call for the dissolution of the Governing Council.
It would be recalled that the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), OAU Branch, had faulted the Governing Council, arguing for its dissolution for its “deliberate and irreparable violation of the Statue and Laws for the appointment
of a new Vice-chancellor.”
of a new Vice-chancellor.”
They two bodies further accused the Council for not allegedly following the provision of the institution’s statutes in its bid to favour a particular candidate during the screening exercise for the aspirants.
However, a top management staff disagreed with the position of NASU and SSANU.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, he insisted that their position would subvert the autonomy in the appointment of Vice-Chancellor, which was achieved by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU.)
He noted: “The position of both SSANU and NASU is disappointing. They have only succeeded in the misinterpreting the spirit of the OAU statue. It will be very wrong for anyone to wrongly interpret the statue both in spirit and letter. The conditions followed during the last screening are not too different from the criteria set now. The only difference is that all the candidates qualified then and not all are qualified now.”
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