Ekanola
• Aggrieved SSANU, NASU members sweep Olayinka’s feet out of office
• CCII lauds emergence of Ekanola
The Senate of the University of Ibadan (UI), yesterday, elected the current Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Adebola Ekanola and recommended him to the Governing Council as the Acting Vice Chancellor of the university.
In the process, presided over by the Provost, College of Medicine, Prof. Olayinka Omigbodun, at the International Conference Centre of the university, Ekanola defeated other four contestants to emerge as winner.
While Ekanola scored 275 votes, Prof. Ayo Oluleye (a former Dean, Faculty of Technology) who scored 80 votes, came a distant second.
The current Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research, Innovation and Partnerships), Prof. Olanike Adeyemo, polled 13 votes; Prof. Adigun Agbaje (a former Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic) scored 15, while Prof. Gbemisola Oke (a former Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic) got 14 votes.
Ekanola will act for the next six months and midwife the process of selecting a substantive VC.
This followed the directive of the National Universities Commission (NUC) that the Senate of the university should meet on Monday and select one of its members as the acting Vice Chancellor of the institution.
Meanwhile, the Governing Council has ratified the selection of Ekanola with the presentation of letter of appoinment. The Council Chairman, Joshua Weklek, made the presentation.
HOWEVER, some aggrieved members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) of UI, yesterday, made a symbolic protest farewell to the VC by ‘sweeping his feet out of office.’
Brandishing brooms to symbolise the cleansing of the university after Olayinka’s exit, members of the unions, who converged on the NISER Garden venue of the farewell rally as early as 9:00 a.m., matched to the office of the outgoing VC around 12:30 p.m., singing protest songs and swept the floor from the VC’s office to the main gate of the university to press home their points.
In his speech Chairman of SANU, Mr. Wale Akinremi, said: “We are here today not to dissipate energy or make noise but to appreciate the Almighty God for seeing us through the end of the regime of Prof. Idowu Olayinka. We suffered untold hardship under the watch of Prof. Idowu Olayinka as the VC. We pray that never again would any Vice Chamcellor put both the staff and students of the university through such torment journey.
Chairman of SSANU, UI, Malachy Etim, who also lamented the experience under the immediate past VC, said: “We are here by God’s grace to celebrate the exit of Olayinka. It is a shameful thing for a VC to leave office without having a successor to hand over to.”
In another development, the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) has expressed happiness over the emergence of Prof. Ekanola as the Acting VC.
President of CCII, Chief Yemi Soladoye, who spoke with The Guardian, expressed happiness over the emergence of Ekanola, saying: “I received the news with happiness, fulfillment and gratitude to God. After all, this is what we are saying.
This is the first time an Ibadan man is made the acting VC without anybody claiming nepotism or sentimental interest.”
