Bamire’s appointment, which takes effect from June 7, 2022, will be succeeding the outgoing VC, Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede.
The Pro-Chancellor & Chairman of Council of the university, Owelle Oscar Udoji, while addressing journalists on campus yesterday, said Bamire was picked as the 12th VC out of the 16 candidates that contested for the office.
MEANWHILE, before Bamire’s appointment was announced, a group of concerned indigenes of the university’s host-community had loitered around the Centre of Excellence, venue of the press conference and expressed displeasure over the choice of Bamire.
The moment the Pro-Chancellor of the university finished addressing journalists, the aggrieved indigenes started demonstrating against the development, moved to the campus main gate and shut it, an action that left workers who had already closed for work and were going home stranded for minutes.
Students were also not spared as gates of the school were shut against them. There was a vehicular restriction to and from the campus for about 10 minutes.
Spokesperson of the protesting indigenes, Bimbo Afolabi, while addressing the stranded workers and students at the campus gate, said appointing another non-Ife indigene as the VC was an act of unfairness for the ancient town and its adjourning communities.
Afolabi threatened that the school gate would be shut tomorrow and that no academic activities would be allowed in the university.
He said: “It is an insult on us that after 61 years, they deemed it unfit to appoint or to elect any of our sons.”
We are telling you (workers and students) today that don’t come to work tomorrow (Friday). We won’t agree to anything. We will be here with charms; we will be here with masquerades and we will be here with deities. We will allow you to go now but don’t come to work tomorrow.”
