‘Above anything in your clamours, be just, fair, generous and as well aim for good. For if you fail, you try for righteousness, and you will be remembered for that and if you win, it will be for the betterment of all’
Majeed Lèv writes…
For those that have not been following, the whole issue surrounds the fact that Ile-Ife people kicked against the new VC appointment hence protesting that the post of Vice Chancellor of the institution, this time, should be occupied by an indigene of the town. For it has been 60 years since the establishment of OAU and not an indigene of the town (Ile-Ife) has been appointed Vice Chancellor.
Exposing the Follies and Stating the Fallacies of this Agitation:
Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife is a higher institution of learning owned by Federal Government and given her autonomy to operate within itself independent of any form of external control.
OAU is one of the best citadel of learning in Africa, a place where civility, emancipation and intellectualism is taught. A community of it own that works in a systemic and diplomatic way with emphasizes and teaches modernism as opposed to rural or medieval thinking. Issues like sentiment, religion discrimination, tribalism, nepotism are strongly preached and worked against, for even if they exist, it has to be in a very low tune and grossly criticized if noticed, for institution like Obafemi Awolowo University is a perfect representation and reflection of what a better society or nation ought to be. Appointment and selections here are most of the time based on merit, hierarchy or voting. The fallacy of the agitation of ile-ife people is seeing OAU as one of their districts, villages or hamlets where they could just come and compel whatever they want and expect it to stand. Their belief, the one which is not rational, is that they could break diplomacy and use force or appeal to pity to impose on federal institution.
OAU is not a community grammar school or a private secondary school. So it should not be treated as one.
The accusation that the process of selection of Vice Chancellor which made Prof. Bamire emerged is faulty is in itself not solid for the fact that these set of people failed to point out with fact and evidence how the process is faulty. The school community or individual involved has not come with any accusation of such. I wonder what people outside the box has to convince us.
To make the matter worst, these set of agitators went ahead to closing of school gate on several occasions, disturbing the peace of the school and as well in more than one instance threat either the school or the students that know or are responsible to almost nothing of what the issue is. They failed to establish a reasonable premise, yet they went ahead to threat. That’s so barbaric an act, and it’s only a victim of intellectual kwashiorkor that will support such shallow-logical act.
The Silence of the School Management and Town-Igboro buses stop working:
The audacity of the Town-Bus workers these days is very alarming too, from indiscriminately hiking the cost of their service without due consultation and negotiation between them and the Students’ Union body who are responsible for their regulation to just deciding to stop working for a particular day or days in solidarity for some group of people clamouring for Ile-Ife indigene as Vice Chancellor. This is very a big slap in the face of not only the students’ Union but also to the entire institution as a whole for it means that without being sanctioned, questioned or call to order, bus driver can do and undo on OAU campus.
OAU school management silence about the issue is not only baffling, but also flabbergasting. This is a life-threatening issue that requires a drastic measure and steps to ensure the safety of the inhabitants of the institution. To prevent another avoidable death, school management should not overlook or be carefree about this matter but most importantly, should not let sentiment win against adequacy.
Submission:
- OAU is a federal institution, this means it’s a property of federal republic of Nigeria for all states, community and every Nigerians. If Ile-ife thinks it’s their property, they are right, but they should be remembered that other towns or communities of the nation are also entitled. But that doesn’t give the right that they can force Vice Chancellor on the institution.
- Those behind these hullabaloos should remember history and prosperity, for they will never forgive them, for many of them know what is right but for selfish interest, they’re intentionally causing commotions and unnecessary conflict where there should be none.
- That the student should stay safe wherever they are and keep calm till peace is restored.
- The school management should take a big step in making sure that those behind this uproar never go unpunished, as that will serve as big lesson for those who might want to start in such illogical agitation in the future.
- Learned and men of integrity in the community should step in to explain to these people how things works and beg for their calmness. For it takes water to calm fire. On the last note, as Chuka Okadigbo stated famously, “If you are emotionally attached to your tribe, religion or political leaning to the point that truth and justice become secondary considerations, your education and exposure is useless. If you cannot reason beyond petty sentiments, you are a liability.”
I so submit.