Ife Indigenes Resume Protest Over Appointment Of Non-Indigene As OAU VC

Ife Indigenes Resume Protest Over Appointment Of Non-Indigene As OAU VC

Ife indigenes have, on Monday morning, resumed protest at the gate of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, disrupting the free flow of movement in and out of the campus.

The group, since Thursday, March 17, had begun protesting against the non-appointment of Ife indigene as the Vice-Chancellor of the university.

The Governing Council of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife on Thursday had announced the appointment of a Professor of Agricultural Economics from the university’s Faculty of Agriculture, Adebayo Bamire, as the new Vice-Chancellor.

The council’s Chairman, Osear Udoji, who made the announcement, said Bamire defeated 19 other applicants to emerge the 12th Vice-Chancellor of the university.

The announcement, however, led to protest by some indigenes of Ile-Ife who locked the university’s main entrance, causing gridlock as students, staffers and other people that were moving towards the gate were held up for some minutes.

On Monday morning, the group of protesters were heard saying, “we are not thieves, we are not causing violence, we are asking for our rights.”

“We are asking the management of Obafemi Awolowo University to allow an Ife Indigene to head this campus.

The protesters were asking people to go back home, including the students of the university, adding that the Ife indigenes were being enslaved on the campus and it was time for them to rule.

The PUNCH had earlier reported, that Udoji, while announcing Bamire’s appointment on Thursday, explained that the council perused the Curriculum Vitae of the 20 applicants who indicated an interest in the position, adding that at the end of the exercise, 16 of them were shortlisted, having met the advertised criteria.

“The interaction with the candidates began on Monday, March 14, 2022, and ended on Wednesday, March 16, 2022.

“All the 16 candidates appeared before the Joint Council and Senate Selection Board, with 15 of them present physically and one, at his request, virtually.

“The Selection Board painstakingly examined the Curriculum Vitae and interacted with each candidate, and scored them accordingly to stipulated criteria. The three highest-scoring candidates were presented to the council for further consideration as provided by the law.

“The entire exercise of the Joint Selection Board was witnessed by the representatives of the Federal Character Commission who have confirmed that the exercise was fair and transparent and carried out in full compliance with the provisions of the Federal Character Commission Act.

“In line with the provisions of the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Act as amended, the report of the Selection Board was considered by the council which, after a careful and dispassionate review of the report, decided to appoint Prof Adebayo Bamire, Professor of Agricultural Economics from the Faculty of Agriculture, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, as the Vice-Chancellor of the University with effect from June 7, 2022,” he said.