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The attention of the University Management has been drawn to another one of those Press Releases by Dr. M.L. Igbafen that expresses his negativity and clandestine resolve for the pursuit of a personal vendetta, vilification and malicious mudslinging of the person of the Vice-chancellor of Ambrose Alli University, a man whose achievements and contribution to the growth and development of Ambrose Alli University is unparalleled .In the release, Igbafen said the students should hold the V.C responsible for the strike.
Just to set the records straight, the Vice Chancellor has nothing to gain from the strike of the Staff Union in the University.
Rather than encouraging Union strike, this amiable Vice-chancellor, with the love of the University at heart has appealed to the staff to seek an alternative solution to the problem of funding in the University, rather than the total strike that seeks to close down the University and threaten its very survival.
He is not responsible for the inability of the University to pay the current out standings in salary and check-off dues. In March, 2020 the subvention coming to the university from the State Government, dropped to less than half of what it used to be. In September 2020, it further dropped to less than one quarter of its former level.
The sudden adverse financial situation in the university was complicated by the fact that from March 2020, the Covid-19 lockdown coupled with the National ASUU strike kept students out of the University away till February, 2021.
They could not be taught and so they could not pay school fees and dues. This, made Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), which was used to augment subvention for the payment of salaries, to be totally unavailable.
The University Management had managed to pay salaries by prudent management of the subvention and IGR up till March 2020. When subvention dropped drastically and at the same time IGR dropped during Covid-19, the University Management was still able by dint of prudent Management to pay net salary up till December, 2020.
The University Management should be commended for this feat. Observers are amazed that the University is still running despite the economic downturn and commended the University Management.
It is therefore most unfair and unkind for Dr M. L Igbafen and his group to blame the University Management for the outstanding payments. The public should be made aware that the generality of the staff know where the problem lies, and that it is definitely not the Management.
The State Governor and Visitor to the university has promised to make a statement at the end of April 2021 to redress the current funding situation. Furthermore, the Visitor was emphatic in asking the Unions not to go on strike but to wait.
The University Management has chosen to trust the Visitor and has continued to plead with the Unions to keep the University open.
The Unions have decided to disregard the plea of the Governor and have remained insensitive to the damage being done to the lives and destinies of the students who have been prevented for studies for almost one year now. They have decided to go on strike indefinitely to press home their demand. Why is Igbafen now telling the students and the public to hold the V.C responsible?
The Press statement also said that the Vice Chancellor wanted to keep the University running for selfish reasons.
It is the duty of a Chief Executive to keep an establishment running while actively pursuing options to solve the problems affecting the institution. It will not serve the University any good to close it.
Despite the fact of hunger and anger due to non-payment of some months of salaries, the University Management is still pleading with the staff Unions to trust the Visitor and resumes work. It is better to bear the pains for just a few more weeks, when the Visitor would solve the problem than to grind the system to a halt.
Having borne the pains for almost one year, what are the gains of shutting the school down when the solution is in sight?
It is therefore a failed attempt to mislead the public, to say that the V.C has a selfish gain in seeking to keep the university open.
The press statement claimed that the University Management is desperate to keep the University open in order to celebrate “AAU at 40”.
There is no denying that 40 years of a University deserves to be marked. However, the Vice-Chancellor has never insisted that it must be celebrated during his tenure.
A Media consultant / Event planning organization (Media Plus Communication Ltd.) approached the University Management for the approval to collaborate with the University for the Celebration of AAU at 40.
They are to carry out the panning, logistics, advertorials and majorly source for funds for the celebration. By this arrangement, the university will not spend a penny for the celebration.
AAU is not expected to provide any funding for the celebration but just to provided necessary relevant information and institutional approval. The Vice Chancellor gave the approval and Media Plus Communication went to work.
The planning is still on. The celebration will necessarily be low-scale because of the unhappy circumstance of the funding crisis. The Vice-chancellor has stated that the full scale celebration need not be done during his tenure.
It must be emphasized that V.C has not insisted that “AAU at 40” be celebrated during his tenure. He has however, activated the machinery for a self-funding activity that could hold any time in 2021. The Senate of the University has considered and approved the celebration.
The press release also stated that they heard that the Vice Chancellor has an elaborate arrangement for his end-of-tenure celebration come May 11, 2021 and that he is demanding and soliciting donations from hungry staff in this regard.
What a wicked falsehood
Just for the records the Vice-chancellor is planning to have a thanksgiving service at the end of his tenure. The V.C, even before assuming office, gives thanks to God Almighty every quarter.
Recall also that being a dedicated man of God and man of prayer, thanksgiving is his lifestyle.
The general public is hereby informed that the VC will be having a thanksgiving service in his church, St Gregory Catholic Church at the end of his tenure.
Can a man not thank his God, who has been so good to him, giving him wisdom, favour and grace to manifest the spectacular repositioning of the University?
It is even a greater cause for thanksgiving to God, having protected him and given him wisdom and patience to navigate the murky crocodile infested waters of slanderous mudsling name-stabbers.
Despite constant wicked distractions and stone throwing from detractors, he has recorded magnificent and enviable advancement for the university and has presented it to the world, a shinning first-class university. He himself has come out unscathed and is finishing strong.
The Vice-chancellor did not ask, request, demand, solicit or even discuss with anybody whether staff, students or stakeholder, any contribution to his thanksgiving.
Friends and admirers may be planning to host him for his sterling contributions this is yet unknown to him.
Let the public know that this man has done so much for the university, staff and students that the few discordant notes of the few powerful vocal opponents of progress cannot detract or subtract from the glorious legacies.
Even now, the University Management is still pleading with the staff to exercise patience in honour of the Visitor and in the interest of the students who have lost so much already. There is a clear light at the end of the tunnel.
Let us all choose to trust the Visitor, the Executive Governor. He is a man of his words. He has never disappointed us.
Edward U Aihevba
Deputy Registrar Information / PRO
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