UI Senate nominates Deputy VC as Acting VC
….As Makinde flays critics over LAUTECH ownership
By Ola Ajayi, Adeola Badru & Shina Abubakar
SEQUEL to the directive by the Ministry of Education, through the National Universities Commission, NUC, that the Senate of the University of Ibadan should select someone for the position of Acting Vice-Chancellor, the university’s, Senate, yesterday, recommended Professor Adebola Babatunde Ekanola, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics) to the governing council of the institution.
This came on a day Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, yesterday, blasted critics who condemned the manner with which the ownership crisis rocking the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso, was resolved, asking them to look for something meaningful to engage in.
Meanwhile, the Senate’s recommendation came after Prof Ekanola polled 275 votes, beating the other four contestants to the position.
Other contestants for the position included Professor Olanike Adeyemo, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research Innovation and Strategic Partnerships), who scored 13 votes; Prof. A. Oluleye, former Dean, Faculty of Technology, with 80 votes, Prof. Adigun Agbaje, former Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics) scored 15 votes and Prof. Gbemisola Oke, former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics) got 14 votes.
The election, which was held at the International Conference Centre, UI, was presided over by the Provost, College of Medicine, Prof. Olayinka Omigbodun.
The university Senate said: “It was, as expected, a tough meeting but one thoroughly guided by adherence to standard procedures. First, the Senate decided that the process would be, not by consensus but by voting. Arriving on this agreement took about two hours of discussion.”
According to speakers at the meeting, the Senate needed to take a united decision with demonstrated transparency to guard the autonomy of the university and prevent interference from government and politicians.
Makinde on LAUTECH
Meanwhile, Governor Makinde, who visited Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State at the Osun Government Secretariat, Abeere in Osogbo, expressed appreciation to his counterpart for rising above partisan politics.
Makinde said: “I came to basically thank my brother, Governor Gboyega Oyetola for the roles that he played which eventually led to us being able to resolve the LAUTECH issue.
“There has been a lot of insinuations out there in the press but what we have both done is to put the interest of our children that are students of that university over and above politics, partisanship and ego.
“Yes, someone said that we failed in the spirit of regional integration and oneness in the region, we should have been able to jointly manage the institution and I said that that position was well thought out but it missed the point.
“The point is, the joint ownership over the years has become really challenging in terms of funding and terms of even the stakeholders in there.”
I rose above sentiments—Oyetola
In his remarks, Governor Oyetola said that the decision to cede ownership requires statesmanship on his part and a display of rare courage which requires rising above political and primordial sentiments.
He said: “That Osun is out of Lautech joint ownership is a painstaking process that lasted for almost a year and midwifed by the NUC is now an open secret.
“In taking this difficult but necessary decision, I considered some critical issues notably, the overall best interest of the state of Osun, the future of the students of LAUTECH, who are the ones directly affected by the incessant crisis of misunderstanding between our two owner states.”