From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) has accused the management of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, of undue recruitment of staff devoid of transparency.
A statement by the Ameer, Osun area unit, Abdujeleel Arikewuyo, Secretary, AbduWalil Akanni and PRO, Saheed Raji, Tuesday described the alleged recruitment as a subversion of due diligence and marginalization of Muslims.
“Without any prior public advertisement, information about a scheduled interview for Thursday 25th May 2023 was allegedly passed to some heads of department who were completely caught unaware of the slated exercise and the processes at the closing hour of Wednesday 24th, 2023. This situation reportedly sparked up protests and generated tension within the University.
“The concern of the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Osun State Area Unit is how and why a federal university of the Obafemi Awolowo University status would embark on the such non-procedural approach of staffing one of the most reputable universities in Sub-Saharan Africa.
“We wonder why and how a supposed leading citadel of learning would throw due process and best practices above board and opt for a kangaroo staff recruitment devoid of transparency and healthy competition on a level playing ground for all eligible and interested Nigerians.
“MSSN Osun State Area Unit wishes to note that the purported staff recruitment exercise was just a continuation of a usual business of the University and an age-long ostracization and marginalization of Muslims in the University with a 95:05 percentage ratio of Christians to Muslims staff and members of the management of the University.
“We believe that this excessively skewed Christian-Muslim ratio of the members of the University was a product and direct result of the kangaroo recruitments like this in the past. This could not have naturally been in a competitive and transparent process.
“It is our humble plea therefore that a stop is firmly put on the unwholesome handling of matters of national interest like this, now that the nation is basking in the euphoria of a renewed hope of an egalitarian Nigeria that offers equal opportunity to citizens regardless of ethnicity or religion consideration.
“We hereby urge the concerned authority to reject in its entirety the wholly illegal teaching staff recruitment exercise while a fresh process is initiated with due process to give every single eligible and interested Nigerians equal opportunity to participate in the process,” the society added.