Authorities of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, have shutdown the institution following protests by workers of the school over appointment of the institution’s new Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ayobami Salami.
The university was closed on Wednesday indefinitely less than two days to the expiration of the tenure of the outgoing vice chancellor, Prof. Bamitale Omole.
Workers of the school under the aegis of Non Academic Staff of Universities, NASU, and Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, SSANU, had intensified their protest over non-payment of allowances and alleged imposition of a Vice-Chancellor despite the ‘no work’, ‘no pay’ threat by the university’s authorities.
They claimed that the new Vice Chancellor’s appointment was illegal and vowed to stop him from resuming office Thursday.
In a public announcement, monitored on Ife-based radio station, the university Registrar, Dotun Awoyemi, explained that the closure was to ensure the safety of students and staff.
“We have shut down the university indefinitely pending the time that we will resolve issues with our workers, NASU and SSANU. We have asked our newly students to go home and postponed the resumption of old students indefinitely,” Awoyemi stated.
