₦airaland Forum

Students of Obafemi Awolowo University took to Twitter today to protest the closure of the school. Returning students of the institution have been home for about 4 months now.

Authorities of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife has ratified the appointment of Professor Ayobami Taofeek Salami as the new vice chancellor of the institution.

Prof. Salami was the immediate past Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) of the institution. He graduated with a B.Sc degree (2nd Class Upper division) from (then) University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife) in 1986 before he bagged an M.Sc degree from Obafemi Awolowo University in 1989 with a specialty in Land use and Natural Resources Management. He capped it up with a Ph.D degree from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife in 1996 having obtained, in 1990, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Remote Sensing Applications: Training in Environmental Data Generation/Handling and Geographic Information System.

A widely travelled academic, the new Vice-chancellor (Academic) became a Professor on the 1st of October, 2003. The New VC (Academic) was the secretary, Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) OAU branch from 2000 – 2002, and two term member of OAU Governing Council from 2003 –2007. He worked as a Senior Research Adviser, Corporate Environment Department, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) Nigeria from 2010 – 2011 as a Sabbatical Staff. Prof. Salami has attended short training Courses in many countries Including Italy, The Netherlands, Sweden, Canada and U.S.A. He has also had teaching and research experiences in The Gambia, Tanzania and The Netherlands. Professor Salami is happily married with three children. Until his new appointment, Professor Salami was the Head of Space Applications and Environmental Science Laboratory (SPAEL) and Coordinator, Climate Modeling Unit, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Studies, OAU, Ile-Ife. He was the Director of the Institute of Ecology from 2006 – 2010.

In the meantime, NASU OAU has rejected the appointment of the new Vice Chancellor, vows to contest the appointment in court... Read why.

A popular Yoruba adage reads: “Nkan ti Taye se, ti o mu je, ti Kehinde ba dan wo, o le te si” meaning ‘What Taiwo (a twin) does and he goes scot-free, Kehinde (the other twin) may do the same and be in serious trouble.

What I am saying in essence is that, what Mr Goodluck Jonathan did in 2012 and he got lashed for it by Nigerians, Mr Muhammadu Buhari has done the same in 2016 and same persons that meted the previous judgement on the former are cool with it and are even praising the latter. Why? Is this not double standard in display by Nigerians?

Protests greeted the Nigerian streets immediately the former President on January 1, 2012 during his New Year broadcast to the nation announced the removal of fuel subsidy jacking up oil price from the official N65 to N141 per litre. I can remember vividly how the Freedom Park in Ojota, Lagos State hosted the biggest and wildest protest Nigeria has ever witnessed in a decade, this in a bid to force the former President to swallow his decision. In fact, the rest of the world knew Nigerians are beginning to realize what is good for them. However, the announcement of subsidy removal this time around was stylishly made, even if one is not too careful, one would think the President is not on the same page with the decision because Mr Buhari was in UK as at that time and the Presidency was mute for more than 24 hours after the announcement.

The question now is that what has really changed since 2012 that Nigerians can refer to as succour in order to agree with this subsidy removal? I mean what social programme has been put in place especially within the last one year by the government of the day that one can say will cushion the effects this increment in fuel pump price will have on the masses especially at this economically disadvantaged period?

Even the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) been the pressure group of Nigerian workers and perhaps the most powerful representation of the Nigerian masses up there are currently divided on the issue of the fuel subsidy. Wednesday, May 18, 2016 has been set as the deadline given to the Federal Government to reverse the decision. A number of media outlets reported on Sunday, May 15 that the Private Sector Employee Association has vowed not to join the industrial action. Same thing was reported of Pilots and Aircraft Engineers. This was not the case in 2012. Even PENGASSON and NUPENG have come out to agree with the FG on the decision as against their opinion in 2012. Then, you will ask what has really changed?

The popular Nigerian activist who was at the centre of protest in 2012, Mr Femi Falana did not even condemn the fuel subsidy removal but his own point this time is questioning how the State Minister for Petroleum came about the N145/litre margin, from what I could grasp, if the PMS pump price was set at the N135/litre, the exact high point after subsidy removal, he could have praised the decision. The reaction of the prominent APC Chieftain, Mr Bola Tinubu may not be too surprising though, he had repeatedly sued for the removal of fuel subsidy since the inception of the Buhari-led administration. Tinubu was reported to have influentially mobilized the whole of Lagos State masses to revolt against the previous administration in 2012 as a result of the subsidy removal, what has now changed?

The minimum wage value actually may have changed since 2012. The dollar to naira exchange rate which used to be about N180 to 1 dollar now goes for about N360 to 1 dollar in the parallel market. The implication of this is obviously not complicated. The prices of imported goods on which Nigerians largely live on will now be doubled. Let us do the calculation together, a Nigerian who lives on the unreviewed minimum wage of N18,000 valued at $100 before which now values at $50 has a deficit of $50 now. Prices of goods are inversely proportional to the value of money. I think this is a change!

Mr Ibe Kachikwu, the time giving minister has not failed this time as he has once again said in about 8 – 9 months, the price of PMS will go down, by then, he said our refineries will be fully operational. Only a few persons who have not been following the Minister’s time giving may entirely shove that down their throat but many Nigerians see this as a message of hope which is though workable but may not be the case.

I would only advise the Nigerian labour forces to hold on to their demands. They should say no to increase in pump price except an upward review of the minimum wage is accepted and implemented by governments at all levels. Poor Nigerian workers who live on a minimum wage of $1.67/day should not be made to pay the sacrifice of Change alone as we have been made to believe. The Executives and the Legislators should also cut their expenses, jack down their salaries and reduce the cost of governance for the sake of the Change we all profess and seem to believe in. I want to believe a Minister traveling to China requesting for a loan of over N13m to execute the traveling expenses lacks the locus standing and moral justification to tell a Nigerian worker to continue to pay N145 for a litre of PMS while the N18,000 minimum wage scheme is still in vogue.

By: Adetula David & Oyetunji Ridwan

The dwellers of the Ibore community in Esan Central Local Government, Edo State have raised their voices begging the Nigerian governments at all levels and the international community to come to their rescue over the continued dilapidation of the town owning to gully erosion hitting it.

In an exclusive visit by the OAU Peeps News Agency team alongside students from the Department of Botany, Obafemi Awolowo University who embarked on a field trip to the gully erosion sites, the deep gully sites were seen and the inhabitants of the community expressed the daily fear of extinction they live with.

The state of Ibore community which has over 10,000 residents is a pitiful and painful one as most parts of town now sit on a time-bomb of been cut out from the rest of the state. The rate at which the soil is been washed away and the continuing deepening of the gully erosion sites present there is quite alarming and deadly. Some parts of the community rely on a wooden dangling bridge to cross over deep gullies to the other sides of the town.

According to a resident of the community who spoke with our correspondents, Iyile Nigeria, he said all the pleas and cries of the residents over time for intervention in the town have fallen to the deaf ears of the governments and that has left the situation to worsen. He went further to say the gully sites were not as deep as they are now some years back but because nothing was done about them, they are getting worse day after day. As a result of the state of the community, many persons have been displaced and rendered homeless and some have even been carried away by erosion in the gully during rainy season, a resident told OAU Peeps News Agency.

The dwellers of this community having been failed by their governments several times despite their outcry continue to plead for urgent and practical intervention from all over the world.

See pictures of some portions of the community below:

Some students of Obafemi Awolowo University under the aegis of a platform called OAU Wikileak have advocated that students be allowed to participate in the ongoing selection process of the Vice Chancellor.

In a social media discussion monitored by Oye Ola Oladimeji and OAU Peeps News Agency, majority of the contributors feel the students be afforded a voice in the very crucial process since they will be affected by the decision of whoever emerges at the end of the day.

Leading the debate, Moshood Odunayo Olajide, the Convener of OAU Wikileaks frown at the way students are completely excluded in the choosing of the university's Vice Chancellor. He argued that students exclusion from such prominent appointment is part of the reason why the university authority takes students for granted. He however urged students to rise up and change this trend.

In his own opinion, Honourable Epitome, a parliamentarian from the faculty of EDM stated that students must participate in providing criteria for the appointment of Vice Chancellor. Hear him, in a typical democratic setting, students can participate in form of public debate whereby every sapient will be allowed to ask questions.

Contributing, Honourable Omole Ibukun from the faculty of Tech advocated a thoroughly transparent public debate that will simultaneously feature the outgoing Vice Chancellor coming to give account of his regime while students are allowed to question both the outgoing and the incoming freely.

Also speaking, Fatoyinbo Gafar, a social critic, aver that students have always constitute the major stakeholder in the education sector. He further stated that students should be allowed to partake in the decision making process as the appointment of a new vice-chancellor will either make or mar students, hence the need to have the input of the students. He further asserted that the imposition of anointed candidate on the university by powerful forces may be too hazardous for Great Ife students to bear. Speaking in the same vein, Matthew Edache urged the university authority and the National University Commission (NUC) to provide a platform for students to air their views on the appointment of VC's. He also condemned the increment of tuition fees which has not led to improved welfarism on campus.

In his own contribution, Bamidele Williams, suggested that a Congress of Great Ife students be convened by the Security committee of the students union to dispassionately discuss the modalties of the appointment of Vice Chancellor while a seven man committee should be set up to meet with ASUU, and SSANU while the committee should also spearhead media campaign tagging it #OAUSAYSNOTOANNOINTEDVC. Aligning with the position of Williams, Solomon Abiodun popularly known as Spiritdrunk suggested that the Security committee should convene a Congress and make students' demands known to the university management.

Opposing the debate, Emeka Mbah, a student from the faculty of medicine however feels that students stand no chance in participating in the appointment of the Vice Chancellor stating that the race is purely political and beyond the participation of students.

The award winning social entrepreneur and founder of MitiMeth Nigeria, Achenyo Idachaba has encouraged students of Obafemi Awolowo University to explore the entrepreneurship track.

Achenyo, who spoke as one of the guest lecturers at the Seminar of the National Association of Botany Students as part of events lined up to mark NABOS Week 2016 shared her story and how she uses what is considered as an environmental problem by many to empower communities.

The 47-year-old entrepreneur who has a background tertiary education in Computer Science from Obafemi Awolowo University won the 2014 Cartier Women Initiative Award. She uses Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), an invasive weed on water ways to make eco-friendly materials including decors, books, pen and others.

Addressing the students on the ‘Entrepreneurship Utilization of Potent Botany’, she said her urge for sustainable development and solve the problem created by the weed on water way sent her to research on the weeds. She said 20 Nigerian states had the problem of water hyacinth and other invasive aquatic weeds on their water ways which she described as renewable resources that can be transformed to an economic advantage through the empowerment of communities and creation of art craft accessories. She encouraged the students not to prioritize money as a goal but rather strive to do well what they like doing.

The other Guest lecturer at the seminar Professor Jide Oke who is the Director, Institute of Entrepreneurship and Developmental Studies also opened the mind of the botany students to so many entrepreneurial opportunities that lie in the field of Botany through his lecture delivery. Oke who took the students down history lane reiterated the drastic reduction in white collar job, hence, the challenge for the students to become entrepreneurs that will create jobs.

The Seminar also featured the Presentation of gifts and awards to the winners of the maiden edition of NABOS Essay Competition. Oyetunji Ridwan won the first prize while Adekambi Blessing, Kolade Aminat Taiwo and Latifah Adejumoke came 2nd, 3rd and 4th respectively. The awards were presented to the students by the invited guests amidst loud cheers from their colleagues.

The event was chaired by Professor Anthony Elujoba, a renowned herbal practitioner and scholar from the Department of Pharmacognosy, OAU and had in attendance several dignitaries including the Dean, Faculty of Science, OAU represented by the Vice Dean, Dr Adebiyi, and the event was hosted by the HOD of the Department of Botany, OAU, Dr Abayomi E. Folorunso.

Giving the vote of thanks at the end of the seminar, the president of the student association, David Adetula appreciated all the participants of the seminar and encouraged them to utilize every teaching they have gotten.