JAC Strike:OAU NASU Chairman Docked Over Assault Allegations

By Uthman Samad

The Chairman of Non-Academic staffs of the Obafemi Awolowo university Comrade Woke Odewunmi was today in a Magistrate Court in Osun state over alleged  assault Of Olarinde Olaide  after being  remanded on the 6th of March at Kosere Prisons in Ile-ife.

   The  Olarinde Olaide was allegedly mobbed and  assaulted by the union workers 'led by Wole Odewumi' while disrupting the examinations of the Post-graduate Students in the university during one the protests of the Non Teaching staff unions against the Earned allowance owed by the Federal Government.

After listening to both parties through their counsels, Justice F.I Omisade, the presiding Judge at the Magistrate Court located in Ile-Ife, Osun state granted the accused (OAU NASU Chairman) bail on self-recognizance.

  The presiding Judge further stated that the condition of the bail includes providing two sureties, who are civil servants and have attained at least Level Ten according to the civil service commission ranking.

   However, the judge during the proceedings, expressed his disappointment at the two parties and noted that a civil matter of that nature should have been settled in the university community and not dragged to court.

   "It should not have degenerated up to this level", the Judge added.

 Speaking with OAU Peeps News Agency, the defense counsel of the accused, Barrister S.T.A Raji, expressed his happiness, he said " this is just one of those normal court cases. We have been successful with the bail application."

   Also, a female senior lecturer in the university, Kehinde Ajila, told our correspondent that the court case is being fueled by some of the university officers and it is aimed at frustrating the struggle of the aggrieved unions.

"Those professors, who we fought for the increment in their salaries are now those who want to frustrate the struggle for the payment of workers' allowance."- she added.

   However, all effort to speak with the complainer, Olarinde Olaide, proved abortive as the lawyer denied our correspondent access to his client.

  It will be recalled that the non teaching staff unions of Universities, comprising the Non Teaching Staff Union (NASU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian University (SSANU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) have embarked on an indefinite strike action since last year against the Federal Government over an alleged disparity in the disbursement of Earned allowance to all the staff unions in Nigerian Universities with 89& allocated to ASUU and 11% allocated to the three above Unions.

The case has however been  adjourned to  15th of March,2018

Admissions: 2018 UTME To Commence Tomorrow

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has directed candidates for the 2018 UTME to print their examination notification slip.

The board’s Head of Media and Information Department, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, said in Lagos that arrangements had been concluded for the successful conduct of the exam scheduled to hold from March 9 to March 17.

“With have successfully conducted the Mock Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) on Monday, February 26, and based on that, we can confidently say, we are good to go…

“Candidates can now go ahead and print their examination notification slips"".

“These candidates must ensure that these slips are printed before Friday, March 9 in order to farmiliarise themselves with the examination schedules as no form of excuse for missing the examination will be entertained.

Benjamin, however, warned candidates not to go to their respective centres with prohibited items such as telephones, wristwatches, pens, and other devices.

Obafemi Awolowo's 109th Posthumous Birthday Is Today

Chief Obafemi Jeremiah Oyeniyi Awolowo, GCFR (Yoruba: Ọbáfẹ́mi Awólọ́wọ̀; 6 March 1909 – 9 May 1987), was a Nigerian nationalist and statesman who played a key role in Nigeria's independence movement, the First and Second Republics and the Civil War.

He was the first premier of the Western Region and later federal commissioner for finance, and vice chairman of the Federal Executive Council during the Civil War. He was thrice a major contender for his country's highest office.

A native of Ikenne in Ogun State of south-western Nigeria, he started his career, like some of his well-known contemporaries, as a nationalist in the Nigerian Youth Movement in which he rose to become Western Provincial Secretary. Awolowo was responsible for much of the progressive social legislation that has made Nigeria a modern nation.

He was the first Leader of Government Business and Minister of Local Government and Finance, and first Premier of the Western Region under Nigeria's parliamentary system, from 1952 to 1959.

He was the official Leader of the Opposition in the federal parliament to the Balewa government from 1959 to 1963. In recognition of all these, Awolowo was the first individual in the modern era to be named Leader of the Yorubas (Yoruba: Asiwaju Awon Yoruba or Asiwaju Omo Oodua).

OAU Begins Renovation of Dilapidated Hostels

By Uthman Samad

The management of Obafemi Awolowo university Ile-Ife has commenced the renovation of Halls of residence in the institution.

Being one of the core Agenda among others of the Ogunbodede Administration to refurbish the aged halls of residence and put to good condition, the hired workers are seen in full force tiling and restructuring dilapidated structures  in toilets of  Annex block C and D of Fajuyi hall of residence of which signs are seen of work to start sooner on other blocks and likewise the main Blocks of the hall.

According to one of the contractors in Block C that spoke with OAU Peeps News Agency, he said he has come to take the measurement like 6 months ago & that he's just being called to start the work weeks ago, and they will ensure to make done the work as soon as possible.

It will be recalled that the administration of the former Acting Vice chancellor (Prof. Anthony Elujoba) of the institution also took some obvious measure to renovate the  toilets in halls of residence and make water supply available during his tenure before the coming into office of Ogunbodede.

Before now, students have taken to social media to complain  the devastating status of the great Ife halls of residence and poor infrastructure.

Report has it that the school management is making every possible means to decongest the hostel although the left organisation termed it  as 'forceful eviction  from hall of residence and outrightly to dehumanize the studentry as they are to go off campus, into the arms of insecurity.""

According to a pharmacy student of Fajuyi hall who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent that " The management should have done this since to complement Elojoba's work but all the same we hope they finish this and improve the welfarism of student which shouldn't only be  on renovation of hostel toilets alone but repainting and also renovation of the rooms also.

In an exclusive interview with OAU Peeps News Agency, the Dean Of Students Affairs, Prof. Aransi  confirmed &stated that the management wants to decongest the hostel so as to improve the welfare conditions of all halls of residence which is affected by Overcrowding. He added that the renovation has been planned on a larger scale before freshers resume by April 3 but facing challenges with  students not leaving the halls of residence for their various homes though there are some that can't be denied hostel access like finalists ,SIWEP & SIWESS students, pharmacy students presently taking their examination, and also Education students who are on TP.

He was however unhappy with some students in the halls who are careless to the extent of burning their rooms as it happened recently in Block 3 of Awolowo Hall. ""Imagine we are trying our possible best to renovate and put all hostels to proper look and some of our students are being careless to the extent of burning rooms  It occured in moremi, Fajuyi and Awolowo hall. ""

He also stated categorically squatters won"t be allowed this coming session and if anyone is caught in the act, the squatter and the "landlord" will be expelled as the issue won"t be lightly at all again.

He concluded that those who do sell and buy bedspaces should retract from such and  if caught, the buyer and the seller will smell the hot part of law.

OAU Vice-Chancellor Leads Team to World Bank

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor E.O. Ogunbodede in continuation of his drive to reposition the University recently visited the World Bank in respect of the World bank sponsored Africa Centre of Excellence Obafemi Awolowo University ICT-Drive Knowledge Park (OAK-Park). The VC, leading the duo of Prof. A.S. Bamire, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic who is also the project Centre Leader and Prof. G.A. Aderounmu, the project Co-Centre Leader. The team met with Andreas Blom, Task Team Leader (TTL), Africa Centers of Excellence Project and a Lead Economist in the World Bank’s education units in Africa. The VC restated the commitment of his administration towards the ACE project. He enunciated several internal re-engineering that have been done to speed up on the delivery of the project objectives. The VC also noted that the University has benefitted tremendously through the ACE project especially in the internalisation of some of the University programs. The VC was quick to mention that through the Project, the University has been able to establish itself as a leading university in ICT in the sub-region and had conducted trainings in Senegal, Benin Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone and Gambia. According to him, the University’s  number of foreign students especially on post graduate programs is on the increase.   The VC also sought the buy-in of the world Bank on the proposed OAU incubation Centre within the OAK park. The VC concluded by appreciating he World bank team for their support towards improved education in Africa.

In his response, the TTL, Mr. Andreas Blom commended the University management and the OAU ACE team for the progress made thus far on the ACE project. He noted that from report with him, OAU has surpassed the benchmark in some of the expected outputs of the project especially in the area of regional student enrolment, short courses and the newly constructed ICT post graduate lab. He however enjoined the University to strengthen her relationship with relevant industries particularly those within the Lagos/South Western industrial corridor. This, he opined, will birth mutually beneficial engagement between town and gown, provide internship opportunity for students and assist in ease of research uptake. He went further to encourage OAU to work harder as possibility exists for a renewed funding of the project though such will be on competitive bid. He concluded by commending the University management for their commitment to the project which has greatly helped in accomplishing the project deliverables.

In his consulting response, the VC informed the World Bank team on the effort being made by the University to actively engage the industry. He therefore went further to inform the team on the planned one day academia-industry engagement programme that has been scheduled to hold in Lagos on 14th of March, 2017. The aim of the programme, according to the VC, is aimed at redefining university-industry relationship and seeks to bridge the existing disconnect between the critical actors in Nigeria knowledge economy.

The meeting ended with both team reaffirming to work together for the total actualisation of the aims and objectives of the ACE project.

Strike:JAC To Hold Peaceful Mass Rally

By Uthman Samad


Non Academic Workers from all Nigerian Universities are set for a Nationwide protest over the ongoing Strike action by the Non-Academics in the Country, OAU Peeps can confirm.

In a document obtained duly signed by the senior Assistant General secretary for  Joint Action Congress, Kingly U.S Okayi stated that the " JAC of NAAT, NASU and SSANU has arranged for a peaceful mass Protest Rally to take place on Thursday 8th march 2018, to  protest the non-implementation of the federal Government of Nigeria's Agreements with the Unions and poor Response by the government to the ongoing national strike embarked upon by the JAC of the 3 unions ".

The venue of the Peaceful Rally slated to takeoff exactly 9:00am at Unity Fountain, through the federal Ministry of Education shehu Shagari way, Federal Secretariat and Ends at National Assembly Complex 3 arms Zone .

The Non Academic workers are protesting alleged disparity in payment of Earned allowance to workers in Nigerian Universities. The workers went on strike on December 4,2017 but after a meeting with the Federal Government on December 19 ,nothing has been heard on negotiations with leadership of JAC claiming that it is yet to hear from the Federal government.

Important Information To All OAU Fresh Students

In a bid to serve you better and reach you more readily, OAU Peeps News Agency has decided to create a WhatsApp Group for all Freshmen of Obafemi Awolowo University.
The primary aim is to disseminate targeted information to this class of persons faster.

To join the WhatsApp group, send a direct message to any of these numbers;

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on WhatsApp using the format below.

Kindly add me to the OAU Peeps Freshmen's group. My name is Ajanlekoko Dotun, admitted to the Department of Chemistry.

You will be added once we receive your request.
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Regards,
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OAU Peeps News Agency

Kindly tell others