Elujoba Appreciates Staff & Students, Labels 2017 As Year Of ‘Sustained Peace & Freedom’

The Acting Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Professor Anthony Elujoba has described the coming year 2017 as a year of sustained peace and freedom, even as he appreciates students and staff for the support of his administration.

In Elujoba’s Christmas and New Year message, he said he “appreciates the entire community of Great Ife, the Senate, Committee of Deans, Religious Groups, all the Unions as well as other Staff and Students for your prayers, kindness, support, loyalty, resolve and solidarity to transform our institution.”

“On behalf of the Management and my family, I wish you all a Merry Christmas even as we enter into a year of sustained peace and freedom in 2017,” he added.

Anthony Adebolu Elujoba, a Professor of Pharmacognosy, became the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University in July. The University Council's announcement of Professor Ayobami Taofeek Salami, on June 6, as the University Vice-Chancellor was greeted with sustained violence and rejection. The Council was eventually dissolved by the Federal Government and Salami was removed from the post. Prof. Elujoba is saddled with the responsibility of stabilizing the system.

FG Declares 26th, 27th December & 2nd Of January As Public Holiday

The Federal Government has declared Monday 26th and Tuesday 27th December, 2016 as public holidays to mark the Christmas and Boxing Day celebrations.

Also, Monday 2nd January, 2017 was declared a public holiday to mark New Year celebration.

From all of us at OAU Peeps News Agency , we wish every Great Ife student an amazing festive celebration full of love, happiness and laughter.

Merry Christmas in advance!!!

OAU To Extend Distance Learning Centres To 6 Cities

The Director of the Centre for Distance Learning of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Professor H. B. Olaniyi has revealed the plans of the centre to look beyond its provincial locations and extend its e-learning resource Centres to more cities.

While speaking with members of the Task Force set up by the university’s Acting Vice-Chancellor to look into the sharing formula of the Internally Generated Revenue outfits of the university, Olaniyi reportedly said he made a journey to University of Ibadan CDL and discovered that it is running six courses, and had about 14,000 Students.

“The Centre is embarking on plans that will within a short time attract Students to the Centre. The Chairman advised the Centre to look beyond the provincial locations but to extend the e-learning resource Centres to Ibadan, Lagos, Port-Harcourt, Warri, Abuja, Jos among others,” part of the taskforce report read.

The Director however told the Task force that the Centre already had such visions but the handicap had been fund. He counselled that the University should plant its good seeds now and wait to harvest later.

The OAU Centre for Distance Learning runs foundational programmes including Predegree and JUPEB. The centre also offers certificate, diploma, undergraduate degree and postgraduate degree programmes.

OAU CDL Generated Over N3bn From Predegree Programme Between 2011 & 2015

The Centre for Distance Learning (CDL), Obafemi Awolowo University generated a sum of N3,097,220,700 in revenue from its pre-degree programme between 2011 and 2015, the findings of the Vice-Chancellor’s task force has revealed.

Sometime in September, the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Anthony Elujoba had set up a taskforce with a view to look into realistic revenue-sharing formula for all the University IGR outfits, including the CDL.

In the report of the taskforce chaired by Prof. O. Adejuyigbe of the Department of Surgery, it revealed that most revenue generated by the distance learning centre came from its pre-degree programme. According to the report, application for the pre-degree programme within those years raked in N509,357,100 while tuition fee paid by admitted students totalled N1,514,896,000.

Some other charges which include “hostel Accommodation which is collected on behalf of the third party (Hostel Owners), Health Care Fees, Identity Card Fees, Caution Fees and E-service, E-portal Services and Administrative Fees,” were categorised as ‘Miscellaneous Fees’ in the account book of the centre. The miscellaneous fees accrued a total of N1,078,967,600 between 2011 and 2015.

From the report, OAU Peeps News Agency observed that a revenue sharing formula of 60% to the University and 40% to the Centre was used in 2011 and 2012, while a 50-50 sharing formula was eventually adopted in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Explaining the change in revenue sharing formula, the Director of the Centre for Distance Learning, Professor H. B. Olaniyi told the taskforce that “it was when it became imperative to construct the Administrative Block and other infrastructures that a submission was presented to the University that the Centre could not survive on the 40% share, and after the University in its wisdom considered the submission, it approved the 50/50 sharing formula”.

However, the taskforce noted in its findings that the Directorate of Audit had not been reviewing the Centre’s Books of Account. Furthermore, the taskforce stated that from its interactions with the representatives of the Bursar and the Director, Internal Audit, it appeared that the University has not been assertive as it should be as there were no evidences that showed that the University directed that the Centre’s Books of Account to be reviewed by the Internal Audit.

“There is no section of the Bursary Department that is saddled with the keeping of the financial transactions of the Centre and as such it appeared difficult to confirm the financial records presented by Mr.Faniran, the Centre’s Accountant,” the report added.

The OAU pre-degree is one of the most expensive in Nigeria and students pay over N200,000 for the 9-month programme. The 2016/2017 academic session resumed some days ago while some the graduates of the previous session are still awaiting admission into the degree programmes of the university.

Report Absolves OAU Parks & Gardens Unit Head Of Alleged Wrongdoings

Mr Ajiteru

Allegations contained in the petition written against the Head of the Obafemi Awolowo University Parks and Gardens Unit, Mr O. H. Ajiteru by some casual workers of the unit are not true and cannot be proved beyond doubt, the task force saddled with the responsibility of investigating the claims have submitted.

The Acting Vice-Chancellor of OAU, Professor Anthony Elujoba had requested, through the Chairperson, on 5th November 2016 that the Task Force on Parks and Gardens Unit investigate the veracity of the claims in a petition he received from some casual workers in the Unit and to submit the report along with the initial assignment given to the Task Force.

Part of the allegations against the Unit Head include the collection of one thousand Naira (N1, 000.00) each from about 300 casual workers, collection of three hundred Naira (N300.00) each from every casual staff every month to purchase one compact disc needed to process their wages, illegal sales and use of flowers meant for university work to private institutions and that Mr Ajiteru was also involved in illegal felling and sale of trees on the University estate.

Other allegations include that Mr Ajiteru collected one hundred thousand Naira (N100,000.00) from clearing contractors which he refused to share with the workers in the Unit and marking the casual workers absent even when they were present, which eventually affected the amount of their wages.

In the report of its findings, the taskforce said it invited for interaction, all the persons that signed the petition letter, the Head of the Unit, Mr. O. H. Ajiteru, all workers in the Unit mentioned in the letter, Chief Security Officer or his representative, Manager, Wema Bank OAU branch or his representative and other persons whose names were mentioned in the course of the interactions.

According to the taskforce, after hearing all parties involved, it realized that most of the allegations against Ajiteru were not true.

“Most of their allegations, for example, contribution of N1000.00 instead of N600.00 for end of year party and N300.00 monthly instead of yearly for disc and welfare, were actually not true and the issue of inappropriate deduction of their wages could not be proved beyond any reasonable doubt as the person marking the register confirmed that they were marked absent when they were really absent.

“Mr. Ajiteru was not directly involved in the initiation, collection and disbursement of the money contributed by the casual workers.

“There has been a lot of laxity in the control of the casual workers because Mr. Ajiteru was not given the free hand to discipline erring workers by the former DVC Administration, Prof. O. Ajayi, who personally addressed the workers, undermining Mr. Ajiteru’s leadership duty,” read the report.

The taskforce however recommended that “casual workers in the Parks and Gardens Unit are not prima facie members of staff of the University and they should be made to realize this. Petitions from them should end with the Director, Division of Works and Maintenance Services (DWMS), who is the overall boss of the Unit. They should not have any direct access to the Vice-Chancellor.” Other recommendations include that the petitioners should be warned to obey the Head of the Unit, failure of which their service should be dispensed with.

Members of the taskforce on Parks and Gardens Unit include Prof. O. O. Orafidiya (Chairperson), Dr. [Mrs] E.F. Aransiola (Member), Dr. A.M. Makinde (Member), Dr. A.O. Adesoji (Member) and Mr. O. Aina (Secretary).

OAU Senate Backs Acting VC, Describes EFCC Invitation As Misplaced

The Senate, Obafemi Awolowo University has described the invitation of the institution’s Acting Vice-Chancellor, Anthony Elujoba by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as misplaced and embarrassing.

Following the meeting of the Senate last week Friday, the senate said it has reviewed and discussed Elujoba’s invitation by the EFCC, in respect of the payment of productivity bonus and alleged enrichment of himself with N7m furniture allowance. The senate however said, those allegations are not true and unfounded.

“…the N300,000 to the Senior and N150,000 to Junior Staff became necessary in pursuit of the general powers and mandate of the Acting Vice-Chancellor as the Chief Security Officer on campus to maintain peace, law and order and to prevent loss of lives and property. Moreso, this similar allowance had been paid to staff in other universities under different names and titles,” a statement signed by the Registrar and Secretary to the Senate, D. O. Awoyemi read.

Defending the N7million furniture allowance granted the Acting Vice-Chancellor, the senate said since the provision of Elujoba’s appointment qualifies him to receive the same benefit as that of a substantive Vice-Chancellor, then, the payment was in order. “The payment of the said furniture allowance was statutorily approved by the Governing Council, Obafemi Awolowo University, at its meeting of 9th and 10th May, 2013 without provision for any payment pro-rata,” the statement added.

The action of the country’s anti-graft agency has continued to generate several concerns among staff and students of the institution.

Fynestboi In Conjunction With Eduregard Organises Essay Contest

Fynestboi in conjuction with EDUREGARD presents;

"An Essay Writing Contest For OAU Students"

Subsequent to diligent initiative and instinctive stimulations, and also as a way to get through the thoughts of OAU students. Fynestboi- the President Of the National Association of Philosophy Students and Mr Nairaland 2016, has decided to organise an essay contest, where students will be able to bring forth ideas and views in a digital environment.

HOW TO APPLY
Send a mail, with the subject "EDUREGARD Essay Contest" containing your Name, Phone Number and Department to Fynestboi@Eduregard.com

OR Send a text containing your Name, Phone Number and Department to 08149565292 / 08094909939

Expect a message from EDUREGARD, within a day, containing the topic you are to write on.

DEADLINE
Submission ends January 9, 2017.

PRIZES
1st Position - N30,000
2nd Position - N20,000
3rd Position - N10,000
4th - 6th Position - EDUREGARD Customized Shirt

NOTE : All write-ups will  be posted on EDUREGARD and you will receive a notification when due.

Sponsored by: EDUREGARD | FATTKAY | #TEAMFYNESTBOI

Supported by: TrendsNaija, #DockthorMedia, Leystradamus, Pigeonpost, YOMINigeria, #1650Digital, OAUPeeps, CheroVibes, Novel Event, Radar News Network, Timagex Photography, OAU NewsTrack and many more...