Constitutional Provisions For The Selection Of Vice Chancellor

One of the hottest gists on the soil of Obafemi Awolowo University campus is the ongoing jostling for the soon-to-be vacant seat of the Vice Chancellor of the institution. Professor Bamitale Omole is expected to bow out of office on June 23, 2016.

In a bid to educate the OAU community especially the student population, OAU Peeps News Agency finds it imperative to state the position of the constitution as regards selection of the Vice Chancellor.

The principal law governing the selection and appointment of Vice Chancellors in Nigerian Universities is the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, No 11 of 1993. This Law was amended by the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Amendment Act, 2003. The cumulative effect of these laws on the appointment of Vice-Chancellors is summarized as follows.

VICE CHANCELLORS
1. There shall be a Vice- Chancellor of a University who shall be appointed by the President in accordance with the provisions of this section.

2. Where a Vacancy occurs in the post of a Vice- Chancellor, the Council shall –
(a) advertise the vacancy in a reputable journal or a widely read newspaper in Nigeria, specifying –
(i) the qualities of the persons who may apply for the post; and
(H) the terms and conditions of service applicable to the post, thereafter drawn up a short list of suitable candidates for the post for consideration;

(b) constitute a Search Team consisting of –
(ii) a member of the Council, who is not a member of the Senate, as chairman:
(ii) two members of the Senate who are not members of the Council, one of whom shall be a professor;
(iii) two members of Congregation who are not members of the Council, one of whom shall be a professor.

To identify and nominate for consideration, suitable persons who are not likely to apply for the post of their own volition because they feel that it is not proper to do so.

(3) A joint Council and Senate selection board consisting of –
(a) the Pro-Chancellor as chairman;
(b) two members of the Council, not being members of the Senate;
(c) two members of the Senate who are professors, but who were not members of the Search Team, shall consider the candidates and persons on the short list drawn up under section (2) of this section through an examination of their curriculum vitae and interaction with them; and recommend to the Council suitable candidates for further consideration.

(4) The Council shall select one candidate from among the three candidates recommended to it under sub section (3) of this section and forward the name to the President. (This section has now been amended. See below)

Prior to 1993, the appointment of Vice- Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, with particular reference to Federal Universities, was done by the Federal government without recourse to the Councils and Senates of the Universities.

The Present law is a complete departure from the previous arbitrary manner of appointing Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities. The present law allows for participation by all segments of the University community, i.e Council, Senate and Congregation.

The present law has circumscribed and curtailed the wide powers which the Federal government previously had in appointing Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities.

Under section 4(b) of the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Amendment Act 2003.

“The Council shall select and appoint as Vice Chancellor one candidate from among the three candidates recommended to it ... and thereafter inform the visitor.

The appointment of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities is now within the powers of University Councils. It is now an internal matter in, which members of the University community participate either directly or indirectly. This development must be welcomed. It allows for participatory democracy by all segments of the University Community.

Despite the enormous powers which Councils of Universities now have in appointing Vice Chancellors, they are not laws unto themselves. They are subject to control by the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who has the power to remove any member or dissolve the Council.

They are also subject to the control of Courts of Law in the exercise of their powers. Let us assume that a selection board has recommended three candidates (A, B, and C) to a Council. The candidates are listed in order of performance and preference, with candidate ‘A’ as the first and candidate ‘C’ as the third. Council has now chosen candidate C and has informed the president as required by Law.

Is the decision by the Council absolute and unquestionable? I do not think so. Their decision can be called into question in a Court of Law. A University Council cannot by its own decision finally determine or decide on the question of the exercise of its powers. Such question is always subject to review by the Courts.

A University Council that allows itself to be guided by political and ethnic considerations in the appointment of a Vice Chancellors, can be challenged in a Court of Law




Credit: Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1993 Imperial Vice Chancellors
By PROF. LAWRENCE ATSEGBUA

NAOSS OAU Decides: Ondo Students Head To Poll Today

Ondo state students in Obafemi Awolowo University will today head to the poll to vote for their choice persons as the next set of Executives of her association - National Association of Ondo State Students (NAOSS).

The election holds today at the Anglo-Moz car park. In order for the Ondo students to exercise their franchise, they are expected to come with;
1. School Identity Card (or anything that will convince the Electoral Commission that you are a GREAT IFE student).
2. Your Certificate of Origin (or any means of state identification that that will enable you to vote).

"Remember, you cannot chase out darkness with darkness, come today and light the voting list with your preferred candidates" the commission persuades.

12 Professors Jostle For OAU’s VC Job

No fewer than 12 professors are currently jostling for the position of vice-chancellorship of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife.

Investigation conducted revealed that the struggle for the number one position in the university began in earnest involving underground moves and persuasions for the contestants of their choice.

Ten of the contestants are from within the university while only two are eyeing the position from outside the university.

As at the time of filling this report, details of the contestants are yet to be made public but investigation revealed that secret meetings were held by various unions, both academic and non-academic, in the university.

Some unions were said to have raised a committee to shop for credible candidates within the university to replace Professor Bamitale Omole whose five-year single tenure would end on June 23, 2016.

It was gathered that the committee would feed the unions back on their findings within two weeks during which it would have assessed the candidates before making its choice public.

It will be recalled that some days ago, some staff unions including Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) in OAU have accused the incumbent governing council of the university of imposing a candidate to fill the most prestigious seat on them. These unions have prayed the president to dissolve the institution's governing council.

The student population as at this time who are obviously not in the scheme of choice have been left to watch development with no obvious position from the student union so far, though the student union's activities have been recently suspended by the university authorities.



Source

2015/2016 OAU Freshers Registration: List Of Documents Needed

This is to inform all newly admitted students of the Obafemi Awolowo University Ile Ife that OAU Freshers Registration exercise is about to start. The following are list of documents needed for a successful screening and registration as a Fresher.

List of Documents
Original and four (4) photocopies of the following documents:-

(1) WAEC/NECO/GCE O’level result(s)
(2) Birth Certificate/Sworn Declaration of Age
(3) Admission letter (printed with N1,000 JAMB E-facility card)
(4) UTME Original result slip (also be printed with
another N1,000 JAMB E-facility card)
(5) Post UTME result/Pre-degree final result

Upon successful access to the E-portal with your JAMB reg. no. Print out the following documents and also provide the original and 4 photocopies of each:-

(6) Notification of Admission
(7) Bio-data form (Course registration form
(9) Hostel Slip (optional)
(10) State of Origin/Local Government Area Certificate

All new students of the Obafemi Awolowo University are to get these documents ready as the registration exercise is set to start anytime soon.

AFCON Qualifier: CAF Deducts 3 Points From Nigeria

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has deducted points from Nigeria, Egypt and Tanzania, all members of Group G, following the withdrawal of Chad from the ongoing qualification race for the 31st edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, Gabon 2017.

Chad were due to travel to Tanzania for the fourth match in the group, but instead made the announcement of a shocking withdrawal, citing financial constraints.

CAF swiftly applied its rules in conformity with Article 61 of the regulations of the competition which states: “If a team withdraws from the qualifying phase organised in groups, all its results shall be annulled (points, scored and conceded goals)”.
”Consequently, the three matches of Chad of Group G are cancelled and the results will not be taken into consideration”, CAF said.

Egypt still lead the group with four points,, while Nigeria have two. Tanzania have a point.
CAF further said that in accordance, with the rule set by CAF Executive Committee on 15 January 2015, any group reduced to three teams following the withdrawal of a team will have only the group winner qualifying for the final tournament.

Furthermore, the Chadian Football Federation has been fined 20,000 US Dollars and also barred from participating in the next edition of the AFCON in conformity with Article 59 of the regulations of the Competition which states “any association declaring forfeit after the start of the matches is liable to a fine of twenty thousand (20,000) U.S. dollars. It will also not be allowed to participate in the next edition of the AFCON”.

Meanwhile, Egypt will face Nigeria on Tuesday, 29 March 2016 in Alexandria.



Source: Vanguard

Breaking News: Ojo Bright Admits Impeachment, Apologizes To Ondo Students

The impeached President of the National Association of Ondo State Students, Obafemi Awolowo University chapter, Ojo Bright I. has apologized for his misconduct which led to his impeachment.

Details later...

My Suspension And Reinstatement – Omotayo Akande

As I recuperate from the ordeal of my suspension, it is incumbent to keep the generality of Great Ife students and the Nigerian students, who stood fervently and offered all forms of support, informed of recent development as regards our reinstatement and the state of our union.

My suspension, a parody of justice and fairness, is a development which consistently keeps me perturbed of what the future holds for our dear country and the institutions which should inculcate the value of patriotism, spirit of social responsibility and virtue of political consciousness but have decided to breed men who are coerced to strictly adhere to the status quo even in the face of high moral and institutional decadence.
I’m more curious of this institutional and social decadence than my suspension, as the suspension itself is one of the by-products of oppression and instrumentalities used to silence any voice of progressiveness and activism.

OUR REINSTATEMENT
Sequel to numerous interventions and appeals from well-meaning Nigerians, Great Nigerian Students, progressive arms of our community, and the media, the university has decided to reduce the 6 and 4 respective semesters’ suspension of the 3 leaders of the Students’ Union to one semester each and directed us to resume academic activities by Harmattan semester of the 2015/2016 session.

Putting issues in the right perspective, November 2015, Great Ife Students started a campaign against inimical welfare condition on campus, an agitation which erupted after several diplomatic approaches had yielded no result. The Students and the Union have consistently expressed their abhorrence on the collapsing structures, moribund municipal facilities and outdated learning infrastructure through releases, in meetings and even the media before embarking on a one day peaceful lecture boycott which lasted for less than 12hrs. The protest got a wide media coverage and the world was aghast at the living condition of students on OAU campus.

The Congress of students after the boycott directed that further diplomatic approach be used. This negates the notion of students wanted to disrupt coronation and convocation.
The management issued a mid-semester break notification and subsequently suspended the activities of the Students’ Union days after.

Union leaders were invited to a panel on the acclaimed assault of a University Professor and the aftermath was the suspension of the President, Secretary General and PRO of the Students’ Union.
After the suspension, consultations and diplomacy being the first approach to all struggles were still employed to ensure our reinstatement was achieved. This is also in view of ensuring that a stable academic calendar is not jettisoned as we recognize this as another germane interest of students.

MONUMENTAL APPRECIATION
The list will be too long but it is important to salute the doggedness of Great Ife students who consistently showed support and whose interests remain a number one priority.

I must recognize the astute intervention of our most revered Royal Father, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja 11, The Ooni of Ife.

I am grateful to Professor YK Yusuf and The Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) OAU branch for their consistent guidance and intervention whose role in our reinstatement cannot be over-emphasized.
To our comrade and lawyer, Barrister Mohammad Fawehinmi, what more can explain a selfless service to humanity?

Our reinstatement has produced another historic feat by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS). Much appreciation goes to the National and Zone D leadership comrades for their selfless intervention and priceless support. All JCC Chairpersons and Students’ Union Presidents most especially the south-west union leaders for their overwhelming solidarity. I have not enjoyed such spirit of brotherhood in a Students political ambient. I don’t know how to thank the comrades who were at the verge of losing their lives, the Ekiti axis of the JCC, who encountered an auto accident while returning from the intervention that brought about our reinstatement. While I can never quantify such sacrifices, I remain indebted.

Kudos to my fellow students in the University of Suspension, Hon. Seun and Emmanuel Kant for their unflinching fighting spirit, and great valour, officer of the students’ Union and a special gratitude to the indefatigable men of the Students’ Union security/welfare committee for keeping the Union alive.

I must not fail to appreciate the prudence of all security operatives, especially the Nigerian Police and SSS who worked with us during the welfare and reinstatement struggle even at the verge of being arrested.

Leaders of religious and departmental organizations have shown unprecedented concern and have in their respective capacity never stopped offering their support and encouragement.

AS THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES…I REMAIN UNDAUNTED
No amount of victimization or criminalization can deter me from my conviction of the essence of affordable qualitative education and a politically conscious students’ body. This will continue to spur me to continually register my abhorrence at all level to government anti-students and anti-education policies and constructively champion a moral course for better welfare condition and human capital development.

The struggle continues, the restoration of the Students’ Union activities is a collective responsibility as students’ freedom of association must not be infringed upon. Students must unionize; we should not think of carrying on without that collective platform. We should demand for the restoration of an independent students’ union through an immediate Student Union election.

RESTOREOURUNION!!!
ALUTA CONTINUA!!! VICTORIA ASCERTA!!!

Omotayo Akande (TY)
@Tayo_Akande, akande.omotayo.dare@gmail.com, 08027728756
500L Chemical Engineering Department
President, Great Ife Students’ union.