Playwright and Emeritus Professor of Drama, Femi Osofisan, has called on the Governing Council and Management of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, to urgently initiate a process where aggrieved candidates for the position of the vice chancellor can express their grievances in an atmosphere of fairness and equity.
Professor Osofisan, who spoke with Saturday PUNCH, said that it was important to ascertain whether due process and merit were considered in the selection of Professor Ayodele Bamire as the newly elected Vice Chancellor of the university in order to clear all doubts.
“This shows you there has been some missing link in the selection process. I think that what the university should do is establish some kind of means whereby aggrieved candidates can protest if they feel that they are not well treated.
“If they are vindicated, then the university can start the process of correcting what is wrong. If an aggrieved person is found wanting despite putting forward his or her protest through the laid down channels, then there is nothing that can be done about that.
“In any contest, there must be winners and losers. It is also important to start the process earlier so that you can have justice served, and correction made early,” he said.
He, however, urged the indigenes and the university governing body to find amicable means of resolving any differences without relinquishing merit, stressing that as long as the university had followed due process, it must put its foot on the ground concerning its decision.
The PUNCH had earlier reported that indigenes of the Ile-Ife had protested on OAU campus over claims that an indigene of the town had been schemed out in the process of choosing the new vice chancellor of the university.
The accusation had also been rebuffed by the Public Relations Officer of the university, Olarenwaju Abiodun, who insisted that they (indigenes) might have had premeditated notions to impose their kinsman on the university instead of competing fairly.
It was also gathered that an aggrieved contestant, Prof. Rufus Adedoyin, had written a petition to the university management protesting the process of the governing council.
Speaking on the protest, Osofison said, “The authorities cannot live with this kind of protest or intrusion because the whole purpose of establishing a university could be defeated.
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