OAU Non-Teaching staffs protest over new VC's appointment

All activities at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife were paralysed on Wednesday when the non-teaching staffs of the university locked down the instituton to protest over the appointment of the new vice chancellor, Prof Ayobami Taofeek Salami for the Institution despite court order restraining it.

The Governing Council of the OAU had on Tuesday announced the appointment of Professor Ayobami Salami as the new vice chancellor of the institution.

Vehicular movement came to a halt and was disrupted causing traffic gridlock for over three hours within the institution.

The protest which is the second in less than a week was started around 8:30 am, which was led by the Chairman of Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities, (SSANU), Comrade Ademola Oketunde and Chairman Non Academic Staff Union of Universities, (NASUy, Comrade Wole Odewumi.

The two union leaders expressed shock at the violation of court order by by the Governing Council.

The protest started in February this year when eligible candidates were signifying interest in the post of the new VC which became vacant on the 23rd of this month.

The protest after some hours turned to a prayer session where they were calling for God's intervention.

The union members also later staged their protest to the house of the VC, which was alleged to have been renovated with N150 million.

Addressing the it's members, Comrade Oketunde described the appointment of Prof Salami as the new VC of the university as a 'contempt of court order'.

"We started this protest since Tuesday when we heard that the university governing council has appointed a new VC without waiting for the court judgement we filled against them. ‎The court has ordered them not to appoint any VC until they give their judgement but they went ahead to fault this order" he said

Oketunde disclosed that the union has filled a contempt of court against the university management and it's governing council, adding that the case will be for hearing on Friday.

Efforts of the outgoing VC, Prof Bamitale Omole and the Chairman of the Institution's Governing Council, Prof Ndoma Egba to douse the tension, were not successful,

However, Public Relations Officer, OAU,Abiodun Olanrewaju said the guidelines for appointment of the new VC was never violated.

Olarewaju noted that the institution's council followed due process and ensured transparency in‎ the appointment of Prof Salami as the new VC.