OAU community urges new acting VC to restore normalcy

The Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) community, has charged the new acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Anthony Elujoba to try as much as possible to normalise the situation on campus without further delay.

The members of the community made the appeal in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Ile-Ife, Osun State.Mr Ademola Oketunde, the Chairman, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), expressed satisfaction with the appointment.

Oketunde said that Elujoba’s emergence as the acting Vice-Chancellor “is people’s choice’’ and therefore advised him to try as much as possible to correct all the previous administration’s errors.

He charged him to make welfare of the staff and students a priority, adding that transparency and accountability should be the watch words in his administration.Mr Wole Odewumi, the Chairman, Non-Accademic Staff Union of OAU (NASU), also applauded the senate of the school for choosing the right person, “who is also the choice of the people’’.

Odewumi commended the steadfastness of his union members and the sister unions throughout the trying period.A parent, Mrs Subuola Adeyeni, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for giving OAU staff the opportunity of selecting the acting VC themselves.

Adeyeni also applauded the staff for selecting “a man of integrity, an experienced professor, who is capable of moving the university forward.”She urged the acting vice chancellor to enhance the stability of the school calendar.

Adeyeni said that the closure of the school had kept students at home for too long and called for the resumption of academic studies as soon as possible.A part two law student, Clement Michael, assured that most students would be satisfied with the appointment.

Michael advised the acting VC to use all in his powers to make the welfare of staff and the students his priority.He said that the students would have confidence in the new VC because of his maturity, which would help him address the issues that result to incessant strikes.