OAU, Ile-Ife VC: When Silence is no More Golden
I have been watching closely the madness that is going on at the Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, ever since the governing council of the institution shortlisted the applicants for the position of the Vice- Chancellor.
It gives me a great shock when I saw how the Chairman of the Non – Academic Staff Union, OAU Branch, Mr Wole Odewunmi led thugs and some other members of the union to disrupt the peaceful interactive session that supposed to hold on the 7th & 8th of April 2016. They were armed with dangerous like guns, cutlasses, axes, bottles, knives, stones and some other diabolical weapons to kill and to wound members of the University Governing Council and the Representatives of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Federal ministry of Education.
When we call OAU a citadel of learning where learning and character takes place, what legacy are people like Wole Odewunmi laying down for the students of the institution. Is he teaching them how to kill or constitute nuisance to the teeming society?
If not for the timely intervention of the Ooni of Ile-Ife and the Area Commander of the Police Moore Ile-Ife, who came to arrest the situation at 1:00a.m on the 7th of April, Mr Wole Odewunmi and his led thugs are ready to kill and brutalized the Council members of the University.
If Nigeria were to be a sane society Mr Wole Odewunmi and his killing squad team would have been arrested and made to face the wrath of law.
Prof Salami is an erudite scholar with over 250 publications to his credit; he has successfully supervised 7 PhD and 28 M.Sc. candidates with thesis and currently supervising 5 PhD candidates. Prof Salami has been a Deputy Vice Chancellor Academics (DVC) for the period of 5 years. During his term as the DVC Academics, the University has recorded a lot of achievements, which ranks OAU Ile-Ife the best citadel of learning in Nigeria.
Prof Ayobami Salami was the chairman of the Obafemi Awolowo University Centre for Distance Learning (OAUCDL) for 5 years and within this period the distance learning centre of the University has recorded a lot of achievements and making the centre the leading distance learning centre in Nigeria. When talking of grantsmanship and fund generation for the University, in his personal capacity, Prof Salami has attracted a lot of grants of over (N 400,000,000) Four Hundred Million Naira for the University.
I was shocked when I heard that one of the applicants for the position of the Vice- Chancellor has never attended any international conference or graduated any PhD student over the last five years, or secure any grants for the University. This particular Professor is one of those disturbing the peace of the University.
The question I asked myself is that how on earth someone of such pedigree should become OAU VC? Some dubious people are behind what is going on in OAU; they are trying their possible best in dragging the Ooni of Ile-Ife to the mud by telling the world that Ooni of Ile-Ife Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi doesn’t want Prof Salami as the VC of OAU? It is worrisome why they are trying to drag Ooni good name in the mud. Within his short time as Ooni of Ife he is tirelessly working for peace and has a father to all, he is using his good position to foster unity cross ethnic groups and nationalities.
In respect to dissolution of the university council, the Federal Government was wrongly advised by some faceless group of people who wanted to hijack power through violence. The manner they conduct their actives should be properly investigated before OAU becomes centre of “magical powers and fetishism”.
Let it be on record that it is a misinformation to the public that Prof Salami is not the substantive Vice- Chancellor of OAU. The process that produced Prof Salami was flawless and consistent with the provision of the extant laws. The Governing Council of OAU under the leadership of Prof Rowland Ndoma Egba was constituted in March 2013, its tenure has not expired, it is very wrong for the federal government to dissolve a council that still have a year left on its four years term.
For those SSANU and NASU members who are placing rituals at strategic places on campus and those threating lives of those who saw the good things in Prof Salami they should continue. God will judge everyone accordingly.
Prof Salami is the valid substantive Vice – Chancellor of OAU and its five years tenure started on the 24 June 2016. The federal government has no power to appoint an Acting Vice- Chancellor when a duly appointed one is in place. If the federal government continue by going ahead to appoint an Acting Vice- Chancellor for the University this will definitely lead to chaos and anarchy for the 54 year old University.
The Buhari led federal government have respect for the rule of law; the president should not allow some unscrupulous elements to take charge of the administration in OAU, and therefore put all measures in place in ensuring that Prof Salami has smooth five year tenure as the VC of OAU.
Concern Stakeholders

I thought they were fighting coz he'll be like omole..and as I heard...bad and corrupt

So much misinformation in Nigeria but let's hear the other side of the story.

What exactly is this Op saying?

It's obvious the OP or the concerned stakeholders are Salami's media warriors. The honourable thing for him to do is to sacrifice his ambition for peace to reign on that campus, afterall he's enjoyed the pleasure of DVC for 5 years. 250 publications, and so what? Are there not other eminently qualified professors on that campus? Salami should chill, Abeg.

Whether or not anyone agrees with me, I just have to ask ...is the non-academic association so important that they can just request for a VC and he'll be appointed? Or are they so important that can overturn the decision of a whole governing council of the university? Am I the only one who thinks this way? They definitely should not have so much power! Or should they?! Frankly, I find this whole situation absurd and quite mind-boggling. Imagine!!! Because of the non academic staff, the university has been shut down for God knows how long this time!!! When did the students resume for the session? Have they even resumed? OAU is running behind big time!!! And now this! Because of non - academic staff, no less!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

when will African leader learn to relinquish power as at when due, this dvc of 5years will do whatever to hold the vc position. according to op even president of this country can't remove him. who is he? god?

I couldn't help buh laff after readin dis epistle cos it's very obvious d poster is 1 of d media aides of Prof. Salami. What was his effort during d NASU saga against OMOLE in ensurin d@ dre ova 5 yrs arrears was paid and u claim he is a man d@ OAU admin can be entrusted with. I totally doubt d@. however, d. Governing council also claimed no appointment had been made cos dre was still a court process goin on ova d matter so ow did he now emerge as d VC if governing council claims dey had not made any appointment

I love your writeup Mr Justice07106, but I must let you know that the due process for the appointment of VCship in OAU doesn't stipulate a DVC to become the VC rather it requires an entirely new academic to hold the pretigious position. Prof Omole and his cohorts unilaterally appoint a man of their own possibly someone who mirrors his character to be his successor maybe to cover his administration defects. I guess you are in favour of prof Omole (the former VC) because you are one sided in your writeup. If not, I equally expect you to talk about Prof Omole misappropriation of funds and many other allegations levelled against him. NASU and some other concerned bodies or association knows more about what is going on in the senate more than the students and they can be fighting for a-no-just cause. The students' have less say in the matter and that led to the more reason why NASU came up to the struggle though they have their own flaws and excesses too.

OP, I beg to differ, all what you have written is one sided and clearly shows whose you are. The Omole administration had a lot of accusation on misappropriation of funds and the new man coming was part of the administration, I don't think it's okay for him to be the next VC. As concerning NASU, though I don't fully support them, I can't blame them, when the previous admin owes them, so they are of the thought that d new man who they believe is an anointed son of omole will still follow the trend