"No University Is Happy Seeing Students Living In Bedbugs Infested Rooms"- OAU VC Comments On State Of Accomodation On Campus

By Ojelabi Jesujoba

It was an auspicious occasion on Saturday, 10th March 2018 at the Ajose Lecture Theatre of the Obafemi Awolowo University, ile-ife as the Association of Campus Journalists hosted her annual International Campus Journalism Conference (ICJC 2018). The conference which is in its fifth year and is held once every session hosts schools from all over Nigeria and seeks to improve the quality of  Campus journalism and journalists in the country.

This year had in attendance important dignitaries such as the Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba AbdulRasheed Akanbi; the Vice-Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede; Mrs Okuntala, A Business woman and the veteran journalist; Mr Sam Omatseye who was ably represented at the occasion served as the Keynote Speaker and spoke on the topic; Journalism as an elixir in the fight against terrorism.

In his address, the Oluwo of Iwo charged the students on improving the quality of their work whilst giving his views on various philosophical matters. The Oba which left a majority of the students startled by his talk then proceeded to pray for them.

The Vice-Chancellor also in his address at the event commended the organisers of the program for organizing such a program. The Professor of Dentistry confessed that he was also a member of the association some 41 years ago when he participated in Campus Journalism as an undergraduate student under the Buggle news agency. The Vice-chancellor mentioned that despite the fact that the University did not have a department of Mass Communication, it had produced some of the finest journalists in the country and plans were on to introduce the Department.

Speaking on the recent accommodation policy of the University, the Vice-Chancellor expressed that it was a necessary evil and was going to be implemented. He mentioned that the current pressure mounted on the resources of the Halls of residence was way above what they were created to cater for and he acknowledged that the current state of the numbers in the Halls was due to the Ife-Modakeke crisis that saw a lot of students move to campus. He however stated that steps were already being taken towards resolving this and even though it might be inconvenient at first, it was going to pay off ultimately. He then reaffirmed that no fee was being increased as against the current speculations being spread.

Prolonged Varsity Workers Strike Likely To Be Called Off Next Week

The Federal Government has agreed to source for about N8 billion to settle the Earned Allowance of striking non teaching staff of Nigerian Universities within the next five weeks.

The workers have therefore been asked to suspend their ongoing industrial action by Wednesday, March 14 to allow full activities to return to the campuses.

This decision formed part of the agreement reached between the striking workers under the Joint Action Committee and the federal government after two days of conciliatory meeting which also agreed that no worker will be victimized on account of taking part in the strike action.

The agreement was signed by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, Minister of State for Education, Prof. Anthony Anwukah, President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), Comrade Samson Ugokwe, President of the National Association Academic Technologists (NAAT), Com. Sani Suleiman and General Secretary of Non Academic Staff Union (NASU), Com. Peters Adeyemi.

The workers had gone on a total and indefinite strike action on December 4, 2017 as a result of failure of the Federal Government (FG) to implement some of the contents of the Agreement of 20th September, 2017 between the Federal Government and JAC.

The agreement, copy of which was made available to The Nation indicate that the government and the unions agreed that: “Government is to source for eight (8) billion naira within five (5) weeks to pay JAC of SSANU, NAAT and NASU members and members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), who did not get paid in the last disbursement exercise.

“The Federal Ministry of Education  reported that the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) has started payment of Salary Short falls and the process is still ongoing. The FME is to synergize with the concerned institutions to ensure compliance with Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA) requirements to facilitate payments of JAC members in the Universities that are yet to comply.

“The National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) is to rework the 15th December 2017 Call Circular taking into consideration the observations of JAC of NAAT, NASU and SSANU with a view to ensuring that it complies with the National Industrial Court (NIC) judgment.

“The Federal Ministry of Education has made submissions to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) for onward transmission to the National Council on Establishment (NCE) meeting, slated for 18th March, 2018, in Owerri and is expected to report the outcome in 5 weeks.

 “The Federal Ministry of Education had put forward an application for the visitation panel to the Presidency and is to follow-up and report outcome in 5 weeks. The main thrust of visitation is to re-energize the Institution, unearth corruption and maladministration in these Institutions.

“It was also agreed that the Federal Ministry of Education would set in motion appropriate machinery for the release of White Paper in respect of previous visitation panel reports already with Government.

“The Honourable Minister of Labour and JAC leadership agreed that the ongoing strike would be suspended by Wednesday 14th March 2018, after due consultation with their National Executive Councils (NECs). No Worker would be victimized on account of this industrial action.”

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.