RE: OAU's Form Will Be Officially Announced Tomorrow
It has just been brought to the notice of the management of OAU Peeps News Agency that a post is being spread with the above headline.
The post is signed by one Mr. Bayo Adewale and on the post is a signature "OAU PEEPS". We hereby use this medium to inform the general public that the Agency is in no way involved with both the post and the said Mr Bayo Adewale.
Thanks and God bless!
Signed
Farombi Oluwaseun [Babafaros]
Public Relations Officer/Social Media Manager
OAU Peeps News Agency
Sunday, 19 June 2016
UI To Be Shut Again?
Following the resumption of the students of the University of Ibadan as announced by its management, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Oyo Joint campuses have resolved to resume their protest as the management of the Institution is said to have not appropriately resolved the issues that led to the closure. Find the release below;
THE UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN MANAGEMENT TO EXPERIENCE THE NEW DEFINITION OF THIRD "C" OF ALUTA AS THEY HAVE FAILED TO HONOUR THE FIRST AND SECOND "C".
It's no news that a leader that stands aloof to his people is a puppet. The attention of the executive council of National Association of Nigerian Students Joint Campus Committee (NANS JCC), Oyo State was drawn to verdicts of the Students' Disciplinary Committee (SDC) sitting which took place on Wednesday 30th of May, 2016 at the University of Ibadan.
We took the path of calling for redress of the Students' Disciplinary Committee (SDC) with a on Monday 25th of April, 2016. But the management sent students home and called them back after 7 weeks with the issues unattended to.
Till date, the management has refused to bulge. We like to bring to your notice GREATEST NIGERIAN STUDENTS that no sign of redress or reception of our effort is shown. The shun from the management of the University rubbishes our CONSULTATION and giving no room for CONSOLIDATION.
Oyo State NANS JCC is known to be the most ideological, reactive, intelligent, accommodating, progressive, militant and radical axis of students movement in the nation and we are rigid on upholding what we are known for by billions of students that believes in indefatigable actions to make sure students are not unjustly punished, intimidated, oppressed and victimised in all ramifications.
The negligence of our consultation satisfy the popular saying of Human Right Activists "Freedom is not giving willingly by Oppressors, it must be forcefully demanded by the Oppressed, there will be massive lockdown of the school's gate on Monday 20th of June , 2016 by 8am until our demands are met.
Anticipate mobilisation from all tertiary institutions in the Pace Setter.
NANS JCC!
SOLIDARITY FOREVER!
Nothing shall discourage us.
Aluta Continua!
Victoria Ascerta!
Signed
NANS JCC, Oyo St
OAU Pre-Degree Second Contact Test Results Released
The Management of the Centre of Distance Learning of the Obafemi Awolowo University has released the second contact test results of its Pre-degree students.
The result was released on the evening of Saturday, June 18, 2016 and the management has asked the students to
check their results on the notice board as soon as possible.
OAU Peeps News Agency wishes all the Pre-degree students the best as they gradually come to the end of their programme.
"No Court Order Restraining The Governing Council From Appointing A New Vice-Chancellor "- OAU Registrar
The Registrar of the Obafemi Awolowo University, D. O Awoyemi, has on this day, 17th June 2016, released the side of the Governing Council concerning the events that have transpired over the past few months as regards the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor for the University. In the release, he stated that the council did not receive any Court order stopping the process as claimed by the Protesting Unions. Find the Official release below;
1. The position of the Vice-Chancellor, Obafemi
Awolowo University, becomes vacant at the expiration
of the incumbent’s 5-year tenure, on 23rd June,
2016.
2. The University Governing Council, at its 238th
meeting held on 8th December, 2015, approved that
the procedure for the appointment of a new Vice-
Chancellor should commence.
3. Advertisement for the position was placed in six
national dailies and responses were received from
interested candidates. The closing date for the
submission of applications was 26th January, 2016.
4. Council followed the procedure provided in the Laws
and the Statutes of the University by constituting a
Search Team consisting of:
A member of the Council, who is not a member of the
Senate, as Chairman
Two members of the Senate, who are not members of the
Council, one of whom shall be a Professor
Two members of the Congregation who are not members
of the Council, one of whom shall be a Professor
5. Senate, at its meeting held on 27th January, 2016,
elected two of its members to serve on the Search
Team. Congregation, also, at its meeting of 26th
January, 2016 had elected its representatives on the
team. Council at its special meeting of 28th
January, 2016, elected Chief Moses Otazi as
Chairman for the Search Team.
6. Council, at its meeting of 8th March, 2016, received
and considered the report of the Search Team.
Thirty-one (31) candidates were searched from
universities in Zaria, Nsukka, Lagos, Port Harcourt,
Benin, Ibadan and Ile-Ife. Only 3 indicated
interest, but, at the end, none of the three submitted
applications.
7. In conformity with Statute 6 of the Laws of the
University and Step 2 of the guidelines from the
Federal Ministry of Education, Council at that same
meeting, shortlisted the applications of the
candidates, using the eligibility criteria as advertised
in the newspapers for the post of the Vice-
Chancellor. At the end of the exercise, 6 candidates
were shortlisted from the 11 applications received.
8. Senate, at its meeting of March 30, 2016, elected
two of its members to form part of the Joint Council
and Senate Selection Board for the appointment of
Vice-Chancellor.
9. Council, at its meeting of April 6, 2016, also
elected two of its members to serve on the Joint
Council and Senate Selection Board for the
appointment of Vice-Chancellor. The representative of
the Federal Ministry of Education in the University
Governing Council, as well as a Commissioner and
the Secretary of Federal Universities at the Federal
Character Commission were also invited to serve as
Observers at the interaction with the shortlisted
candidates.
10. The Joint Council and Senate Selection Board met on
April 7, 2016, and drew up the scoring criteria for
the appointment of Vice-Chancellor in line with the
guidelines provided by the Federal Ministry of
Education, after which it was ready to commence
interaction with the shortlisted candidates.
Unfortunately, the candidates could not gain access
to the venue of the interaction as a result of the
violent protests of SSANU and NASU led by Mr.
S. O. Oketunde, Chairman of SSANU and Mr.
Wole Odewumi, Chairman of NASU and the
blockade of the entrances of the Pro-Chancellor’s
lodge and the Vice-Chancellor’s lodge, while the
Unions were trying to file some Court processes. Later
the same day, while the Council was meeting to be
briefed by the Chairman of Council on what
transpired during the day, the Chairman of
SSANU, Mr. S. O. Oketunde and the Chairman of
NASU, Mr. Wole Odewumi, led their members,
armed with sticks, cudgels and machetes, to storm
the venue of the meeting and held Council members
hostage, threatening to harm or kill them. It was
the eventual intervention of the Ooni of Ife, His
Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II,
following several distress calls by the Pro-Chancellor
and the Vice-Chancellor to the revered Monarch and
the Area Commander of the Nigeria Police, that
saved the Council members, who were allowed to
leave the venue only at about 1.00 a.m. at the
arrival of the Area Commander. The Council, upon a
careful review of the situation, took the inevitable
decision that all subsequent meetings of the Selection
Board and the Council on the selection process shall
be held at venues outside Ile-Ife for the safety of
the lives of the members of Council and the Selection
Board.
11. On Friday, April 8, 2016, a NOTICE OF
APPLICATION for an interim injunction was
served on the University. The Council, being a law-
abiding entity, accepted the notice when it was
served. It became apparent that the forceful
disruption of the meetings of both the Selection
Board and the Council was to allow SSANU and
NASU to finish the business of filing the notice of
application.
12. It is important to invite the attention of
members of the University community
to the fact that, as at today, Friday,
17th June, 2016, there is no court
order, ruling or judgment restraining
the University Governing Council from
appointing a new Vice-Chancellor for
the University.
Signed
Registrar and Secretary to Council
June 17, 2016.
OAU Officially Announce New Vice Chancellor
Amidst NASU protests,the governing council of the Obafemi Awolowo University had finally made the appointment of New Vice Chancellor Official.
In a release made to the public, dated June 17, 2016, by the University Registrar and Secretary to the council, O. Awoyemi, confirmed Professor Ayo Salami as the New Vice Chancellor.
An Extract from the release reads thus;
“The Governing Council, at its Special meetingheld on June 6, 2016, considered the report of theJoint Council and Senate Selection Board for theappointment of a new Vice-Chancellor for theUniversity and decided to appoint ProfessorAyobami Taofeek Salami as the eleventh Vice-Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, for a term of five years with effect fromJune 24, 2016."
It will be recalled that the Federal High Court, Osogbo only recently adjourned thecase of the alleged Illegitimate Appointment of ProfessorAyo Salami as the Vice-Chancellor of the ObafemiAwolowo University as filed by the Non- Academic StaffUnion of the Institution some weeks back till Wednesday,6th July, 2016. The legality of the appointment ofProfessor Ayobami Salami as Obafemi Awolowo UniversityVice Chancellor which was made public some weeks backcontinues to remain a controversy.
Poor Turnout As ERC Holds Public Meeting
The Secretary of the Education Rights Campaign OAU branch; Comrade Omole Ibukun has beseeched students to join the current industrial actions embarked on by the members of NASU and SSANU. He made this public plea during a public meeting which was said to be organised in remembrance of the Genocide that occured during a students march against apartheid in Soweto, South Africa some 40 years ago.
The secretary of the ERC further opined that all the Unions on Campus were fighting for the same cause, that if all unions could aggregate their demands, the protest would be successful.
However the programme which was publicised to some reasonable extent saw just a few students in attendance and when asked by our correspondents for likely reasons for this, the Secretary commented that a little number of people start large transformations.
In the course of the meeting three main issues were discussed: The demands of NASU/SSANU and the role of the students, Comfortable learning conditions and Commercialization of the Education sector.
A very controversial highlight of the meeting arose when a Comrade Jeremiah when making submissions stated; "How long we spend on campus does not matter, what we achieved matters most, let's orientate people to know this"
Towards the end of the meeting, attendees concluded to set up a five-man committee which will help to see to students welfare in which Com. Omole would lead.
The meeting which lasted for almost 4 hours was declared successful even with the absence of invited NASU and SSANU Chairmen whom the campaign Secretary excused due to some unavoidable circumstances.
Saturday, 18 June 2016
OAU DSA Encourages Squatting?
“Squatting” is no stranger to the majority of Great Ife students. Though it has different definitions according to individual perspectives, it could be simply explained as “an act of illegally occupying a building, space or land”. In the OAU context, the squatting picture can be painted as a situation where there are other students apart from the legally allocated occupants inhabiting a particular room. These extra students are called “squatters”. Squatting as an act has always been in constant condemnation by the University’s management as strictly illegal and hence not allowed.
The newly admitted freshmen has found themselves in a rather unusual situation of exceeding the usual quota admitted every year. Statistics has it that over 7,000 freshmen (against the usual of about 5,000) were admitted for the current academic session. The unusual increase in population sure comes with different challenges for the management, one of which is majorly fixing the 2,000 (extra) fresh students into the already over-populated halls of residence.
Though some freshmen have been successfully accommodated by the Division of Students Affairs (DSA) and some financially-buoyant ones have been able to secure accommodation outside the school vicinity after being let down by the management, but there are many who are still “homeless” and as such are having a very hard time settling down. Even after several complaints at the DSA by students who fall into this category, only few of them were lucky enough to be given accommodation. It was also reported that the DSA, at some point, allegedly advised the affected students to “go and rent”.
This leaves the students with very limited options of either squatting or renting apartments as advised by the DSA. While the later requires a substantial financial capability, which currently looks unachievable judging from the state of the Nigerian economy, the former seems easy, though “illegal”.
For some of these new students, their arrival on campus is the first time they would be leaving their parents’ care in the real sense. Non-availability of bed-spaces for these ones in halls of residence, as you’ll agree with me, is a serious problem. To think that the affected freshmen will be in this tough situation for the next eight months or thereabouts is even more worrisome.
These students have been forced to put up with their acquaintances who were lucky enough to secure accommodation, or even moving from one room to another without a base. They have resulted into “full squatting” (the widely-acclaimed illegal act), without minding the grave consequences as threatened by the management. As much as squatting seems to be the only realistic solution, it comes with a great deal of inconvenience cum insecurity. These students stand the chances of receiving different forms of disturbing abuse from roommates who will see them as unwelcomed guests and also security threats to their properties.
While some may be able to cope with the situation, it might be too much for others to handle. This, on the long run, will definitely affect their academic pursuits (their primary assignment on campus). A student who can is not sure of a proper abode to return into after the usual stress-fill day on OAU campus will surely not be in the right mood to study.
Though there is little or nothing they can do about this rather unforeseen and undeserving circumstances, I’ll like to wish them good luck in their quest to survive this “baptism of fire” without getting burnt.
Ridwan A. Oyetunji writes from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife.
You can reach him via ridwanoyetunji_18@yahoo.com
