UI VC Race: 459 Members Shun Senate Meeting

Only 188 out of the 639 members of the Senate attended an emergency meeting convened by university of Ibadan yesterday, this blog can report.

The senate is composed of 465 professors, 153 non-professors, elected members from congregation. Others are acting heads of departments and directors.

Sources said the meeting was convened to address the crisis surrounding the appointment of the vice-chancellor as the 5-year tenure of the incumbent, Prof. Idowu Olayinka, ends in November 30, 2020.

It would be recalled that protest had last week greeted the planned announcement of Prof. Kayode Adebowale, a supposed choice of the outgoing VC. The process has since been suspended.

This blog had reported how, after yesterday’s meeting, the Senate revealed that members of the institution’s branch of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) will be punished for participating in protests.

This was just as the Senate declared that the unions have no business interfering in the selection process of new Vice-Chancellor of the University.

A former Dean of the Faculty of Law, Professor Oluyemisi Bamgbose, who spoke on behalf of the Senate said they are in support of the ongoing process.

One of the sources, who was at the meeting, explained that “With what is happening in UI and what transpired today, it can be concluded that all segments of Nigerian society are the same in terms of leadership. A Senate of over 600 professors, an emergency meeting was called, only 188 attended the meeting while majority shunned the meeting.

“The meeting was organised in such a way that journalists who tried to ask questions were not allowed to do so. Nepotism, favouritism, sentiments everywhere. No sector is immuned from these problems. And these are the people who will be blaming Buhari and other politicians.