I am a parent with two of my children running programmes in the College of Science, Engineering and Technology, Osogbo Main Campus of Osun State University. I am also based in Akowonjo, Lagos. I work with a firm in Victoria Island. In fact, it was another parent with a daughter in Okuku Campus of Osun State University that called my attention to the E-Invitation by the Parents Forum and Management of UNIOSUN inviting parents to a meeting at its Main Campus on Monday 16th, August 2021 Time is 3pm. I would have loved to attend the meeting if it were fixed for a weekend.
There is no way or any window of opportunity to seek official permission from the Head, Human Resources Department. A university leadership ought to have foresights, insights and human feelings for all stakeholders in the UNIOSUN project. This invitation is certainly not a well thought out at all.
This is the height of insensitivity. It is an invitation poorly conceived. How can the registrar of Osun State University, Mr. Adebayo Shittu, be inviting parents to parents meeting? Is he the Secretary to PTA or Parents Forum? The forum has its own secretary. What is this mess all about? Doesn’t he know his statutory duties at all? Why is he messing up with the affairs of PTA or Parents Forum? How can the PTA or Management Council be inviting parents that are spread across the 36 states of the federation to attend a meeting on Monday afternoon? How would I return back to Lagos if the meeting lasted till 7pm?
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The implication is that, if I should sleep over in an hotel, I would be away from my duty for two days. I would also cover my hotel/accommodation expenses. For God’s sake, don’t working class parents have to go to work? If they must come, won’t many seek official permission from their bosses? How many weeks’ or days’ of notice were issued?
This is a very careless act on the part of whoever issued the invitation. In our clime, Monday is for serious businesses. In Lagos, we echo Fela “L’ojo Monday, Eko o ni gba igbakugba” (Time is money). What is so crucial that the Parents-Management Meeting could be hold after due notice had been given? Is Osun State University in a state of war or being ravaged by fire that its Management needs Parents to serve as “fire fighter”? Who on earth is turning Osun State University into a glorified secondary school? Calling meeting of Parents Forum on Monday, Ojo Aje, a day when everybody would be busy pursuing economic interests is abnormal.
Adesola Agbaje Es
Akowonjo, Lagos
15th August, 2021
