There was a mild drama in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti state capital, in the early hours of Wednesday as staff and students of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), prevented an attempt by the police to arrest the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Joshua Ogunwole.
Ogunwole had raised the alarm that policemen were surrounding his residence in Ado-Ekiti with unclear mission.
The incident attracted members of the university community, including academic, non-academic staff and students to the Vice-Chancellor’s residence.
They gathered in solidarity and prevented the alleged arrest.
Addressing journalists at his residence in Ado-Ekiti, Ogunwole said the policemen arrived at his official residence at about 6:10am.
He explained that his children woke him up after noticing the policemen around the house.
The Vice-Chancellor said he initially declined to come out because he was unsure whether the men were genuine police officers and wanted to establish the reason for their presence.
Ogunwole stated that the police officers later informed him that they had a warrant, but he insisted that he would not leave the house without being properly informed of the basis of the arrest.
He linked the development to a petition allegedly written by some individuals connected with the university, including the immediate past Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Fasina, and a former Dean of the Faculty of Law, Dr Kehinde Adeola.
He said the dispute arose from an audio recording which he alleged had leaked and which prompted the university management to ask those involved to appear before an investigative committee to explain its contents.
Ogunwole said the matter was in court, while he had also petitioned the Inspector-General of Police over what he described as threats to his life and workplace.
The Vice-Chancellor said he had instructed his lawyers to approach the police to explain that the matter was already before the court and that he was available to respond to any lawful invitation.
Ogunwole said he had previously honoured a police invitation in connection with an earlier petition, saying he appeared with his lawyers and was questioned from morning till evening before being released on self-recognisance.
He believed that the latest development could have been handled through an invitation rather than surrounding his residence.
“Somebody of my calibre would not run away anywhere. Rather than surrounding my house, there are other better approaches to invite me,” he said.
The Vice-Chancellor, however, said he remained confident in the rule of law and would continue with his administration’s plans to reposition the university.
He said, “There is no turning back. Our mission to create a new face for FUOYE. No U-turn, no diversion. We are resolute.”
Speaking on the development, the chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), FUOYE branch, Dr. Ojo Fagbuagun, said the union was at the residence to oppose what he described as attempts to intimidate the Vice-Chancellor.
Fagbuagun alleged that some individuals who had been entrenched in the university’s previous administration were opposed to changes being introduced by Ogunwole.
He said the academic staff would resist further attempts to harass or intimidate the Vice-Chancellor.
“We are here this morning to show the whole world that our VC cannot be intimidated,” he said.
Similarly, the Chairman of the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), FUOYE branch, Comrade Oluwashola Babafemi, said members of the association were at the residence to protect the peace and progress being experienced under the present administration.
Babafemi said Ogunwole had made himself accessible to staff and had paid attention to their welfare, adding that the association did not want anything capable of disrupting the university’s current direction.
The branch secretary of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), Comrade Emmanuel Adegun, said members were alerted that police officers had arrived at the Vice-Chancellor’s residence and decided to mobilise to the residence to show solidarity with Ogunwole.
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