OAU Union Leaders Set For Retreat, After Management Approves Inauguration, Swearing-in Five Months After Election

The management of Obafemi Awolowo University has approved the inauguration and swearing-in of elected students’ union leaders of the institution five months after the election.

The inauguration of the elected officers was contained in a release issued by the electoral chairman, Ajayi Oluwafemi also known as ‘efem Castro’ on Saturday.

According to the release, the inauguration and swearing in of the Union Officers is scheduled to take place on Thursday 3rd 2022 at Oduduwa Hall by 12:00pm.

The release read in part: ‘past months have been characterized by our unswerving efforts to ensure the swearing-in and inauguration and leadership retreat of/for the elected union officers at the CEC, SRC and HEC levels were done as stipulated in the election calendar until unforeseen circumstances took over the course.

“However, we are elated to announce that the CEC, Leadership of the SRC and HEC’s Chairpersons will proceed on a leadership training by next week and the Inauguration and Swearing-in Ceremony will hold unfailing’.

Reacting to the development, the Dean of Students Affairs, Prof. Isihaq Aransi in a phone chat with Vreporters confirmed the date announced by the electoral chairman adding that, the students leaders will be heading out of campus for leadership retreat.

Aransi said: ‘it’s true, in fact tomorrow, the students’ union leaders are moving out of Ife for a leadership retreat at Miccom Golf Hotels and Resorts in Ada Osun State and the University has put everything that will make the training a success in place’.

Asked about what led to the delay of the inauguration about five months after the conclusion of the election, Aransi stated that, ‘well, you are aware of what happened within the University system, so, it’s only when the approval was given we can go ahead’.

Aransi’s allusion to what led to the delay was the protest embarked upon by the entire students of the varsity including the newly elected officers in October, 2021 over the death of a part four student, Aisha Adesina who died as a result of what some students tagged as negligence by the health officials who were on duty , though the school in a swift rejoinder debunked the students’ narrative, adding that, the school tried its best to save the life of the final year student.