On the recent protest by the OAU community

the way and manner the students and workers of the Obafemi Awolowo University staged a solidarity protests in support of Professor Anthony Elujoba, the immediate past acting vice chancellor of the university, was derided in some newspapers. However, the protest was never aimed at stopping the arraignment of Professor Elujoba or his trial in any court of competent jurisdiction. It was merely a solidarity protest in support of a man who became the vice chancellor, in acting capacity, and stabilised the system that was almost grounded. In fact, as asserted by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Adamu Abubakar Rasheed when he visited the university in June this year, the second time in six months, “OAU was handed over to Elujoba almost dead.” yet, his tenure witnessed the smoothest academic calendar ever and there was no single industrial faceoff with the university management by any of the staff unions.
Not only students participated in the protest. All strata of the OAU community did, including professors, which demonstrates the seriousness attached to the issues concerned. By the protests, the OAU community was not against the state. Under the 1999 Constitution (as amended), protestation of injustice and demand for justice is not a treasonable act. In fact, the ongoing Fourth Republic came about as a result of long, arduous and tortuous struggles in which students, workers and the academics participated actively. Ventilation of grievances is a fulcrum of democracy. The demonstration in question might have been vigorous and robust, but it was peaceful. No life was lost, nor any property destroyed.
The incessant protests at OAU were aimed at drawing the attention of the authorities to alleged cases of corruption which they want investigated and the culprits brought to book. The protesters at Ede were incensed that rather than do this, the agencies concerned have chased shadows. It would also appear as if corruption is fighting back at OAU, with its spirited efforts to hang the innocent while the guilty walk about freely. Indeed, Elujoba’s case is unprecedented in the history of university administration in Nigeria where staff and students’ unions will faithfully support a man whose tenure was adjudged the best in every sense particular.
It must be noted that Professor Elujoba is no longer in office, yet he received this overwhelming support; whereas the other vice chancellors earlier listed were substantive and no group or union staged any protests in their support. It is customary, all over the world, that students, particularly Great Ife Students, are not known to support corruption in whatever form or guise and staff unions on campus: Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), could not all have been unduly sentimental to support corruption, theft and gross abuse of office. Therefore, when all the members of these unions, with different ideological tenor, in their thousands, willingly support a cause, then it behoves on any discerning mind that such a cause goes beyond the ordinary.
The symbolic ‘fight’ to support and free Professor Elujoba goes beyond tribal sentiment, or religious inclination or denominational affiliation. In fact, it cuts across all ideological groups and those who find it convenient to stand for justice. The university community then felt a moral burden to solidly stand behind a man who came on a rescue mission and performed excellently, believing that he should not be made to suffer unjustly. Though the matter is still in court, making more comment or giving more facts might be termed subjudice. However, with profound respect, we commend the fatherly understanding of the Presiding Judge, Honourable Justice David Oladimeji, who might have viewed the students’ protests as their inalienable rights and their perceived excesses as mere exhibition of harmless youthful exuberance.
•Olarewaju is the Public Relations Officer, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State.