THE controversy over who succeeds the out-going Vice Chancellor
Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, Prof Muhammed Salihu
Audu, continued on Thursday with the appointment of two Vice Chancellors
(VC) within 48 hours.
The Governing Council of the university had on Tuesday announced the appointment of Prof Akin Osarhiemen Osunde as the acting VC, but made a U-turn on Thursday evening and announced the appointment of Prof Musbau Adewumi Akanji from the University of Ilorin as the new VC.
Osunde’s appointment was said to have been approved after the Council’s 96th special meeting held last week Tuesday, November 13 and was expected to take effect from Tuesday, November 27, this year. But Thursday’s dramatic announcement of Akanji as the 6th substantive VC took people by surprise. According to the council, the appointment will take effect from Monday, November 26 2012.
The council said the appointment of the new vice chancellor was approved after its 97th special meeting held on Tuesday November 20. No reason was however given over the sudden change of decision.
It could be recalled that the university governing council and the host community were at loggerheads over who succeeds the out-going vice chancellor, Professor Audu whose tenure expires this month, with the latter threatening that unless one of its own is considered and appointed as the new VC, the peace hitherto enjoined by the University with the community will be no more.
The university host community made up of the Minna Emirate, in a strong letter of protest signed by the its chairman, Alhaji Usman Nagogo and 10 others and made available to newsmen, accused the university authority and the VC of marginalizing the community as regards to the appointment of both senior and junior staff, the admission policy and the award of contracts in the university.
According to the community, presently there is no one from the immediate host community that is occupying an important position in the university ranging from the Vice chancellor’s office, the registry and even Bursary department, saying that the marginalization is more glaring with the appointment of junior staff even when the law says all junior staff should come from the immediate environment.
The community warned that the situation has reached an intolerable level because the state, especially the immediate community have sacrificed their land and properties as well as made strenuous efforts to ensure peaceful and conducive environment for teaching and learning and have always cooperated with every successful administration of the University.
But the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof Abdullahi Bala, in his reaction to the wide range of allegations, said that neither the vice chancellor nor the university governing council is against the community bringing their candidate, in as much as he or she meets the requirement for the position of VC.
The appointment of Akanji has however, put to rest agitations from the host community to produce the next VC of the university even though the community has faulted the procedures and criteria by the governing council for the selection of a new VC and is challenging the appointment at a Minna magistrate court.
Until his appointment, Akanji has held various positions and served in virtually all the University Committees at UNILORIN. He was the pioneer Vice-Chancellor and member, Board of Trustee, Al – Hikmah University, Ilorin.
The Governing Council of the university had on Tuesday announced the appointment of Prof Akin Osarhiemen Osunde as the acting VC, but made a U-turn on Thursday evening and announced the appointment of Prof Musbau Adewumi Akanji from the University of Ilorin as the new VC.
Osunde’s appointment was said to have been approved after the Council’s 96th special meeting held last week Tuesday, November 13 and was expected to take effect from Tuesday, November 27, this year. But Thursday’s dramatic announcement of Akanji as the 6th substantive VC took people by surprise. According to the council, the appointment will take effect from Monday, November 26 2012.
The council said the appointment of the new vice chancellor was approved after its 97th special meeting held on Tuesday November 20. No reason was however given over the sudden change of decision.
It could be recalled that the university governing council and the host community were at loggerheads over who succeeds the out-going vice chancellor, Professor Audu whose tenure expires this month, with the latter threatening that unless one of its own is considered and appointed as the new VC, the peace hitherto enjoined by the University with the community will be no more.
The university host community made up of the Minna Emirate, in a strong letter of protest signed by the its chairman, Alhaji Usman Nagogo and 10 others and made available to newsmen, accused the university authority and the VC of marginalizing the community as regards to the appointment of both senior and junior staff, the admission policy and the award of contracts in the university.
According to the community, presently there is no one from the immediate host community that is occupying an important position in the university ranging from the Vice chancellor’s office, the registry and even Bursary department, saying that the marginalization is more glaring with the appointment of junior staff even when the law says all junior staff should come from the immediate environment.
The community warned that the situation has reached an intolerable level because the state, especially the immediate community have sacrificed their land and properties as well as made strenuous efforts to ensure peaceful and conducive environment for teaching and learning and have always cooperated with every successful administration of the University.
But the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof Abdullahi Bala, in his reaction to the wide range of allegations, said that neither the vice chancellor nor the university governing council is against the community bringing their candidate, in as much as he or she meets the requirement for the position of VC.
The appointment of Akanji has however, put to rest agitations from the host community to produce the next VC of the university even though the community has faulted the procedures and criteria by the governing council for the selection of a new VC and is challenging the appointment at a Minna magistrate court.
Until his appointment, Akanji has held various positions and served in virtually all the University Committees at UNILORIN. He was the pioneer Vice-Chancellor and member, Board of Trustee, Al – Hikmah University, Ilorin.
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