SIR: The people of Ife should not be blamed for the way and manner they have demanded for a Vice Chancellor of Ife origin and how they have forced their way into the campus to cause harm and damage. This is because the university had not had a robust community relations programme over the years. 

For instance a university rests on a tripod of teaching, research and community. Teaching is the least of things they do at the university but strike is the strongest weapon of the lecturers. 

In designing a robust community relations programme, we know the people want jobs on and off the campus; they want contracts, promotion, admission, recognition, appointments, developments via a via infrastructure, business and entrepreneurship and even security and health. These are legitimate aspirations. I read community relations 30 years ago at Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) but much of what I was taught has gone with Amala!

Ife people should have been educated by some of their very best like Balogun of Ife, Chief Bisi Omidora. They could also have consulted  Basorun Dele Momodu who was born in the Palace at Ife. What’s more, they should have been reminded that we are all from Ife; that’s why it is called the source.

Finally what else are they looking for when they had Oba Adesoji Aderemi as the first African Governor! I rest my case.
Augustine Togonu-Bickersteth
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