FUOYE Vice Chancellorship Race Gets Tougher

Mary Nnah

The race towards appointing the next Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) is becoming tougher as investigations revealed that over 60 professors, said to be eminently qualified to succeedout-going Professor Kayode Soremekun come February, 2021, have already put in their applications.

This is just as the University Council has announced the appointment of Mr. Olatunbosun Odunsanya and Dr. I. O Busayo as new substantive Registrar and Librarian, respectively.

Findings equally showed that the Prof. Soremekun-led Management team has performed admirably well; leaving a record that would really be hard to beat by succeeding the management team.

Against a recent allegation from some members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU, FUOYE local branch and Akure zone) that the management of the school had shut the door against qualified academics from private and state universities, it was further revealed that the management had received applications from private, public, federal and state universities across the country.

One of the applicants, who pleaded anonymity said he was number 62 on the applicants’ list, saying that he could confirm that the applications for the juicy position was received from all who brought them, adding that the
applicants did not only come from private, public, state and federal universities, but also from virtually all the six geo-political zones of the country.

“I am afraid this race will be a very tight and tough one. I am really amazed that I turned out to be number 62 on the list of applicants for the position of Vice-chancellor of FUOYE despite the fact that l put in my application three days after the advertisement in the papers.

“It looked as if the university has been in existence for donkey years because it has now become a hot cake for erudite scholars, academics and prospective students.

“Almost every qualified professor from virtually all universities in both public and private universities are eager to join FUOYE to become the next VC. And if you asked me why?, I will simply reply by saying, this university has been very well managed by the current VC, Professor Soremekun and l salute him greatly,” he said.

Further findings revealed that out of the over 60 applicants, about nine equally qualified professors who have held principal positions in managing the university since its 10 years of existence, have also applied.

These internal aspirants included five professors from the Faculty of Agriculture, who include Professor Adebimtan, Prof. Adeniji Aganga; former DVC, Academics,
Prof. Ajayi Omolehin; Prof. Sunday Abayomi, current DVC, Administration.

From the Faculty of Engineering, the applicants are Prof. Olugbenga Amu and Prof. Alabadan. While Prof. Olayide Lawal, Dean, Faculty of Sciences, also applied, Prof. Olajide Oladele, Dean of Management Sciences, has also put in his application who have all served the university meritoriously in their different capacities.

The source added: “The Council and the VC are already at crossroads and need prayers now so they would sail through this huge task. Although, we are confident that they are up to the task and would do the job judiciously and patriotically.”

It was also discovered that applications from other eminently qualified professors have come from virtually all the first generation universities in
Nigeria which includes the University of Lagos (UNILAG), University of Ibadan (U.l), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Federal University of Technology (FUTO), and Federal University of Abuja (FUNAB) among others.

The development simply showed that FUOYE has already carved a niche for herself among the well-recognised Nigerian Universities.

FUOYE has witnessed remarkable progress during the almost five years of the current Prof. Soremekun-led Management team which comprises other principal officers as DVC Administration, Prof. Abayomi Fasina, DVC, Academics, Prof. Sola Ojo, Bursar, Mrs. Bolatito Akande, Acting Registrar, Mr. Mufutau Ibrahim and of course, the VC’s former Director of Administration and Special Duties, now appointed substantive Registrar, Mr. Olatunbosun Odunsanya and other directors in various capacities.

However, the VCship race has created heated controversy among the current Management of FUOYE. Investigations revealed that the influential people who are principal officials of the university have been divided over their individual choices of who becomes the next VC and that development has strained their relationship.