OAU Students Demand Arrest, Probe of VC

Students of Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife have called for immediate arrest and prosecution of their Vice Chancellor, Professor Tale Omole, over alleged mismanagement of the institution.

The students during a protest in Osogbo on Thursday 11, 2016, urged President Muhammad Buhari to extend his anti corruption probe to the university and investigate the activities of the VC.

The students under the aegis of Alliance of Nigerian Students Against Neo-Liberal Attack also called for immediate reinstatement of the students’ union leader suspended by the management, saying the management suspended the students in order to prevent them pursuing the allegation.

The convener of the ANSA, Wole Olubanji, said that the students are ready to help the anti graft agency by providing necessary information and evidence to probe the VC.

Olubanji said, “We are calling on President Muhammadu Buhari, the National Assembly, EFCC, ICPC and the Code of Conduct Bureau to probe Prof. Bamitale Omole’s administration.

“Prof. Omole administration has earned over N30 billion from subventions, more than N1.5 billion from school fees, billions of naira from ore-degree program besides funds received from special agencies such as Public Relations Officer, Mr. Abiodun Olanrewaju, said the vice chancellor runs a open system which is open to all

He said, ” The vice chancellor runs an open system and this is clear to everybody on the campus. And with President Buhari’s stance on corruption no vice chancellor or any head of institution can engage in mismanaging funds all these things they alleged.

“We believe that taking up a comprehensive investigation and probe of the OAU management will show that the regime is not selective or insincere about its war against corruption.

“To the students, he who comes to equity must come with a clean hand. We have seasoned professors and other members of the academic who know that the system is transparent.

“Despite the Bank, TETFUND etc and money from internal sources including donations from corporate bodies, the students said their hostels were in very poor condition; the lecture rooms were overcrowded and epileptic power supply was the order of the day.

The students, who also called for reversal of fee hiked in 2014, warned that “any plan by the authority to increase fees is criminal, especially at a time when the old fees have not been responsibly or
effectively utilized.

The students also called for improved learning conditions of students, saying “the conditions of living and learning facilities on campus is appalling and worse off than periods before the 2014 fee increment.

“Students are entitled to improved conditions of living and learning, and that, if conditions are worse off than before, it means the management of the university is questionable.

Reacting the Public Relations Officer of OAU, Mr. Abiodun Olanrewaju, said the vice chancellor runs a open system which is open to all.

According to him, “The vice chancellor runs an open system and this is clear to everybody on the campus. And with President Buhari’s stance on corruption no vice chancellor or any head of institution can engage in mismanaging funds all these things they alleged.

“To the students, he who comes to equity must come with a clean hand. We have seasoned professors and other members of the academic who know that the system is transparent.”