UNIOSUN VC Speaks On Plans For The University

On Monday, the newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of Osun State University, Professor Clement Odunayo Adebooye, appeared on a program dubbed ‘Point Blank’ on Fresh fm 104.9. Professor Adebooye, a professor of plant physiology and food chemistry who spoke glowingly of his predecessor, Professor Labode Popoola said what he went through in the appointment process was different from what he had gone through in the past in the process of securing appointments and grants. 

Adebooye, who assumed office on the 4th January 2022, while describing the process leading to his appointment, said the council did a very good job in the appointment process, he said the shortlisting came up immediately after a court case that initially stalled the process was decided. While on 29th December, shortlisted candidates were subject to ICT and computer proficiency tests, the appointment process also included assessment of research output, administrative competence and an oral interview.

The process of appointment of the 4th substantive Vice-Chancellor was initially stalled when some professors of the university and the Osun State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association challenged the criteria set by the governing council of the university as being unfair to professors of arts, humanities, law and medicine. The governing council suspended the appointment process while the case was in court. Professor Afeez Bello was appointed in acting capacity from November 4th 2021 when the tenure of the 3rd substantive Vice-Chancellor, Professor Labode Popoola ended. However, the case was dismissed on 16th December 2021 in a judgement delivered by the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Adepele Ojo.

On the issue of those who went to court, the new Vice-Chancellor said: “The people who went to court exercised their fundamental human rights. It is allowed under the laws of the Federation to challenge anything and it is also honourable to wait for the court to decide before proceeding and that is exactly what our governing council did.” 

He continued: “People who went to court were actually aggrieved, the Vice-Chancellor is an image representing the academia of the institution and when he gets there, he does not have to inherit the enemies of his predecessors. As for me, I’m not inheriting the enemies of my predecessors, I’m starting on a clean slate.” He went on to say he already met with all the professors who went to court and the meeting was a success and also said his administration has already met with all the unions in the university where he sought their support for the progress of the university.

He went on to explain the triple relationship model of research dissemination involving the industry, research, and university. He added that UNIOSUN will soon have a research fair where useful research that has been done within the university would be displayed.

He appreciated the Chancellor of the University, Apostle Folorunsho Alakija for the kind donation of a teaching hospital to the university. He also said his administration plans to take advantage of the assets inherited from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology to boost the health of the people. According to him, it will also be used to conduct in-training for medical staff in the state civil service.

The VC also spoke on the collaboration between the university and Harvard University in the US, acknowledging the influence of Apostle Alakija, who also serves on the board of Centre for African Studies of Harvard University and how the collaboration came to fruition. He noted that the Director of the Centre for African Studies at Harvard University, Professor Emmanuel Akpyeampong was sent by the university to Osun State University last week where he agreed with UNIOSUN to collaborate with them on staff training, staff exchange, curriculum development and more.