A drama of the absurd has unfolded in one of Nigeria’s prime universities, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, where indigenes wielding objects of black magic took on the school authority talking merit and use of computers in the choice of a new vice chancellor.
The indigenes of the ancient city in Osun State and cradle of Yoruba civilisationare were unhappy a ‘son of the soil’, was not picked as the school’s head, though the choice is a Yoruba man.
In what is bound to be an embarrassment to all those who have passed through the university in its over five decades of existence, the protesters in full traditional regalia of the Ife traditional institution, closed the university’s two major gates as early as 6.00 a.m on Monday, preventing vehicular movement from coming into the campus, while those inside the campus were disallowed from leaving.
Staff members, students and other stakeholders were also prevented from either coming into or leaving the university, according to an agency report.
Recall that the University Governing Council led by its Chairman, Chief Owelle Udoji, had on Thursday, shortly after the council’s meeting announced a Professor of Agricultural Economics, Adebayo Bamire, as the 12th substantive Vice-Chancellor of the institution.
Mr Abiodun Olarewaju, the Public Relations Officer of the university, in a statement made available to newsmen on Monday evening, narrated the bizarre drama that greeted Bamire’s choice.
According to him, determined to forcefully install an Ile-Ife indigene as the next Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, some indigenes of Ile-Ife have invaded the campus of the university with charms and other fetish objects.
“Today, Monday, March 21, 2022, things took more dangerous dimensions as the indigenes beat up some OAU students whom they met at the gate, blocked the two major gates as early as 6.00 a.m, coming into the campus with charms, and other fetish items.
“They assembled at the Motion Ground of the University Secretariat, dressed in all-white spiritual traditional attire, chanting incantations while performing rituals.
“The protesting indigenes closed the university’s two major gates, thereby preventing staff members, students and other stakeholders from either coming into or leaving the university.
“The protesters, who initially blocked the main gate of the university on the first day and threatened staff and students to stay away from campus, became very violent the second day as they beat up workers, particularly the staff of the Security Unit, and vandalised their office at the Main Gate.
“Some of the security staff had to be taken to the University’s Health Centre for treatment,” Olarewaju said in the statement.
He said that the Joint Council and Senate Selection Board shortlisted 16 candidates for the interaction for the post of Vice-Chancellor.
“The candidates whose names were arranged in alphabetical order were called in for interaction and each was scored by each member of the Selection Board.
“The score sheets of each Assessor for individual candidates were dropped into an envelope and sealed, with the signature of the Chairman of Council on each one.
“At the end of the interaction, the sealed envelopes were opened one after the other and announced to all the members.
“The score sheets were thereafter passed around for sighting.
“Then, the scores of the candidates were collated with Microsoft Excel and ranked from the highest to the lowest.
“The candidate with the highest score was eventually announced as the Vice-Chancellor by the Governing Council.
“For the avoidance of doubt, no member of the Board had foreknowledge of each candidate’s score before the final collation at the end of the interaction,” Olarewaju explained.
He said that the university was aware of the false presentation of the alphabetical arrangement of the applicants as the authentic list of applicants’ performance where unfounded allegations have been made of changing the “leading” candidate.
“The university hereby affirms that due processes were followed and merit was the basis for the appointment of the new Vice-Chancellor.
“The University Management implores the leadership of Ile- Ife to please call these protesters to order to ensure that the cordial relationship, which has been in existence, between the university and Ile-Ife communities is not jeopardised.”
▪︎ Report by NAN
