Ile-Ife indigenes on Thursday alleged that oath was administered on members of the Selection Committee to appoint Prof. Adebayo Bamire as the 12th Vice Chancellor (VC) of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU).
The Ife Progressive Union made this accusation during a press conference held at the Enuwa Community Hall. President of the Union, Dr Famoriyo Gbolade said the process was schemed to favour Bamire.
He alleged that there was a corrupt manipulation of the vital process of scoring and assessing aspirants to the VC position by the Chairman of the Governing Council, Owelle Oscar Udoji, with the connivance of other members of the committee.
Gbolade added: “The secrecy surrounding the exercise is highly suspicious. There was oath administered on members of the Selection Committee before the interviews were conducted, after, and during the process of compiling the results. The report of the committee to the Council was slated for 2pm, while the announcement of the reports to the public was slated for 3pm of the same Thursday, March 17, 2022. Was the report expected to be automatically approved by the Council?
“Besides, the tradition in the academia is to frontload reports before consideration. Why were the Council members not given the reports at least 24 hours before the meeting, in accordance with academic and administrative practice? On entering the meeting and after necessary protocols, members were given palmtops containing the purported selection reports. They were allowed to hold the palmtops for about 10 minutes, after which the so-called reports were approved. Why will the university withdraw the palmtops from members? Is it that the chairman does not trust members? What is it that must be so guided in a public document? Where is it in our academic practice is Oath of Secrecy agreement from committee members?”
The indigenes appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari and Minister of Education Adamu Adamu to look into the process that led to the appointment of Bamire.
When contacted, OAU spokesman Abiodun Olarewaju denied the allegation that members of the Selection Committee were made to take oath to scheme the process in favour of Bamire.
He said: “There are civilised ways of seeking justice, especially if a process is perceived unjust. We learnt that a petition has been written. So, let’s wait for the outcome. I am not aware there was any oath taking.”
