The Asiwaju of Ijesaland, Chief Yinka Fasuyi, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State have described the selection of principal officers of the University of Ilesa by Governor Ademola Adeleke as a breach of universal best practice.
In a letter to the governor on Friday, the Ijesa leader noted that the newly appointed Vice-Chancellor should have emerged from a competitive contest with other similarly qualified candidates to ensure that the best available hand emerges at the end of the exercise.
Adeleke had appointed Prof. Taiwo Asaolu as the Vice-Chancellor. while Funso Ojo was appointed as Registrar, Dr. Mukaila Oyekanmi as Bursar ,and Adewale Ogunsipe was appointed as Librarian.
The Ijesa leader stressed that “a situation where the state government unilaterally selects both the university governing council and principal officers may eventually lead to a relationship of ‘Yes Daddy’ between the university and the state government which is considered detrimental to the success and growth of the new university.
“This approach could further complicate and undermine the capacity of the university for independent decision-making since the university governing council will also be solely appointed by the political class”.
In a statement, the state APC Acting Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal described the process deployed by the Governor as “crude, illegal and stinks to high heavens as it would be an impossible Utopia for it to surmount legal fire power in any court of law.
“I doubt it if the law that established the University of Ilesa grants the state governor the power to remove or appoint the Vice-Chancellor and principal officers of the university without the recommendation of the Governing Council.
“The sack is not only reckless but a bad precedent. It is another further indication that the Adeleke administration lacks governance basics.
“History will not be fair to those who are thinking for this administration as there is hardly a government policy that has been gotten right by the obviously embattled Adeleke government”.
In a statement by his spokesperson Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke was quoted as saying that said the university has come to stay irrespective, adding that the appointment of principal officers is in fulfilment of his pledge to nurture a sustainable institution.
He assured that the many laudable ideas recommended by the Asaolu committee are now billed for implementation under the same man who chaired the review panel.
“I am elated that we are keeping faith with the Ijesha people. We are upholding due process, avoiding politicization of the academic environment, correcting errors of the past and fulfilling the decades old dream of Ijesha people.
“I commend the leaders, sons and daughters of Ijeshaland for their patience and acceptance of ongoing decisions of our government. I urge all stakeholders to cooperate with the new Vice Chancellor as he settles down to the urgent task of sustainable take off of the university”, the governor said.
