From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
Asiwaju of Ijesaland, Yinka Fasuyi, has faulted Governor Ademola Adeleke for unilaterally selecting principal officers for the University of Ilesa, Osun State.
He posted that the appointment was a breach of universal best practices, noting that the appointment could lead to a sycophantic relationship between the university and the state government.
The Ijesa leader, in a letter to the Osun State governor on Friday, commended the choice of an Ijesa son as the vice chancellor.
“We do not doubt the academic prowess, huge competence, enterprise loaded, and visionary capacity but we would have preferred him to emerge from a competitive contest with other similarly qualified candidates to ensure that the best available hand emerges at the end of the exercise,” he noted.
Governor Adeleke had appointed Prof Taiwo Asaolu as the vice-chancellor of Ilesa University while Funso Ojo was appointed registrar, Dr. Mukaila Oyekanmi bursar and Adewale Ogunsipe librarian.
The Ijesa leader stressed that “a situation where the state government unilaterally selects both the University Governing Council and principal officers may eventually lead to a relationship of “Yes Daddy” between the university and the state government which is considered detrimental to the success and growth of the new university,” he stated.
He said the danger in the approach employed for the appointment is that the university’s principal officers were likely to have their allegiance to their political appointors as against their academic community.
“This approach could also threaten the university’s adherence to the principle of university autonomy in the process of its policy and day-to-day running.
“This approach could further complicate and undermine the capacity of the university for independent decision-making since the University Governing Council will also be solely appointed by the political class,” he added.
Fasuyi, however, urged the appointees to work hard with visible and sustainable results so as to earn the respect and confidence of the majority of stakeholders.