UI suspends announcement of new VC over protest

As a result of protest by some members of staff on Wednesday, the University of Ibadan has suspended the announcement of its next vice-chancellor.

The chairman of the University Council, Dr. Joshua Waklek, announced the suspension of the process on Wednesday.

While announcing the suspension to the non-academic staff who besieged Council Chambers, Waklek also promised to meet with the protesting staff on Friday to critically look into their demands.

The process of selecting a new vice-chancellor had almost been completed when some non-academic staff of the university blocked the gates, carrying placards in protest against an alleged plan to impose one of the six candidates selected for the position, Prof. Kayode Adebowale. They alleged that the outgoing VC has skewed the process in Adebowale’s favour.

The union also rejected Prof. Olusegun Mimiko, describing him as anti-workers judging by his tenure as VC, Ondo State University, Akungba-Akoko between 2010 and 2015.

The procedure would have been 90 percent completed on Wednesday with the selection of three out of the six by the Council.

But Waklek said only the entire Council members can decide on the request to delete the name of Prof. Kayode Adebowale from the list.

Members of the non-teaching staff led by the chairman, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Mr. Wale Akinremi, and his Non-Teaching Staff Union (NASU) counterpart, Mr. Malachy Etim, have vowed not to suspend their protest until there is a formal letter annulling the process of appointing the next vice-chancellor.

The new VC is expected to resume in December.