A socio-political pressure group in Ibadan, the Ibadan Pillars, has called for the emergence of an Ibadan indigene as the next Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan.
The group, while making the call on Wednesday, lamented that since the university was established as a college of the University of London on January 18, 1948, no indigene of Ibadan had been appointed as VC.
The Ibadan Pillars, in a strongly worded two-page press statement made available to journalists, said qualified indigenes of the city should be given preference as the VC’s position is being contested.
The four Ibadan indigenes that are vying for the exalted position, among other contenders, are Prof. Remi Raji-Oyelade, Former Dean, Faculty of Arts; Prof. Kayode Adebowale, Current DVC, Admin; Prof. Emiola Olapade-Olaopa, College of Medicine; and Prof. Kolapo Hamzat, of the Neurological Physiotherapy Department.
The statement, signed by the president of the group, Asiwaju Nurudeen Akinade, read that since 1948 till date, 17 Vice-Chancellors had administered the institution with none being an Ibadan man, despite the city’s contributions to the status of the university.
It read in parts, “Ibadan as the host community of the university is accommodative and peaceful. There has never been reports of any form of scuffle or crisis between Ibadan community and UI since its establishment over seven decades ago.
“The University of Ibadan has a very large and expansive land given by the Olubadan, the chiefs and the people of the city.
“Although, VC’s position is not supposed to be for nativity sake, but some people have long played decision makers on Ibadan soil to hate anything Ibadan. UI has produced 17 vice-chancellors, none has ever come from Ibadan.
“Having studied the situation critically, our organisation decided not to accept any non-Ibadan indigene as the Vice-Chancellor.”
