BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
Following series of demonstrations embarked upon by aggrieved indigenes of Ile-Ife over the appointment of a non-indigene of the town, Prof. Adebayo Bamire as the 12th Vice-Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, the students of the institution have said thejd lives are no longer safe.
Recall that the indigenes had kicked started their protest last week Friday after the university authorities announced Bamire as the new VC elect out of the sixteen candidates that were interviewed for the position. An indigene of Ile-Ife who also contested the office was said to have come 9th in the race. Bamire is said to hail from Oyan town, in Odo-Otin Local Government Area of Osun State.
On Monday, the indigenes regrouped as early as 7:00am at the campus gates and locked them. They prevented workers and students from entering the campus neither did they allow anyone to go out. It was gathered that the disenchanted indigenes had warned commercial drivers and motorcyclists not to operate in the town. To this end, there was a total vehicular restriction as areas such as Sabo, Lagere that lead to OAU were blocked.
A message that went in circulation in the university community on Sunday night read, ” Good evening all. This is to notify all out members that National Road Union (Bus drivers Ife Unit) will not be working tomorrow, please, let’s find another means of transportation for tomorrow (Monday). Extend the notification to any of your siblings. Thanks.”
Traders within and along all the roads leading to the campus were not allow to display their wares. The gate leading to the popular Sabo market was shut down while no trader was allowed to sell. The campus and its environment were desolated after students and workers were turned back.
Some of protesters threatened to continue their demonstration until an indigene of the university host community is announced the Vice-Chancellor.
“We did not steal neither are we fomenting troubles, we are only seeking for our rights from the university authorities to make an indigene of Ile-Ife to manage the university. So, all of us should return to our houses. Our children that are working on the campus are only slaving, we also want them to be bosses on Obafemi Awolowo University. Great Ife!” An elderly protester said during protest.
Since the protest began on Friday, academic and administrative activities on campus have been distrupted. Yesterday, it was gathered that there was no lecture as workers and students were not allowed entry into the campus.
Meanwhile, the Student Union of the university has called on the management to shut the campus if the crisis is not brought under control within the next three days. The Union said students’ lives are no longer safe and that some of them were being beaten and assaulted by the protesters.
A statement issued and signed by the SU President, Olayiwola Folahan Festus, the Public Relations Officer, Ogunperi Taofeek Olalekan, and Secretary General, Odewale Samuel Damilare yesterday said, “the union has met with the management of the university to ensure that the situation is arrested, as lives of union members are threatened.
“It is obvious that, should the current situation endure, our members will continue to bear the
brunts of this crisis. The Union strongly condemns the barbaric acts perpetuated by the protesters, including but not only limited to beating and harassing members of our Union. Indeed, intellectualism reflects poorly on this group of people who claim to be fighting for a right in an academic setting as ours but enjoy practicing beastly skills on our Union members.
“Based on the aforementioned, the Union has demanded that the Management of the University that if the protests do not subside in 72hours, should close the University until the crisis is over. Informing this decision is also the fact that the protesters are scaling up their affront on our University community and its immediate community where a large number of our members live.
“Without proactive measures to address this crisis, it is not impossible that the protesters will invade the campus at anytime and further inconvenience the University community such that Union members suffer,” the student union said.
