BEING A PRESS STATEMEMT ISSUED BY PRINCE FRIDAY OGUNGBEMI ON THE APPOINTMENT OF THE VC OF FEDERAL UNIVERSITY, LOKOJA.
FINALLY, A KOGITE EMERGES AS VICE – CHANCELLR OF THE FEDERAL UNIVERSITY LOKOJA.
The final selection and approval of Professor Olayemi Akinwumi as the new Vice – Chancellor of the Federal University Lokoja, Kogi State has come as a thing of joy to the good people of Kogi State, particularly the people of Kogi West, after experiencing two non-indigenes namely Prof. Rafindadi and Prof. Angela Miri, manning the exalted position of the Vice – Chancellor of the university. Prof. Akinwumi is the first indigene of Kogi State to assume such position.
The people of Kogi State look forward to see the new Vice – Chancellor to change the face of the University for better especially in the area of physical development, balanced recruitment of staff as well as making the institution a centre of academic excellence.
The new Vice – Chancellor being an indigene of Kogi State has the ample advantage of knowing the tradition and politics of Kogi State and this should be his guiding principle in governance at the University community.
But unfortunately, some ill advised and disgruntled persons from Kogi East with different name tags such as Association of Igala Professors and other faceless groups are out to scuttle the appointment of Prof. Akinwumi by going to court, writing protest letters and making silly press releases.
To many of us, the wicked and unbecoming attitude of those opposed to the appointment of Prof. Akinwumi from Igala is a sheer non-sensitivity to the ethnic dichotomy in Kogi State.
It has come as a rude shock to us especially those of us from Okun land, the ignoble act of some handful Igala trying to discredit the methods used to select Akinwumi. Whatever any group may think about the wise decision of the Governing Council, as far as the appointment is concerned is ill-conceived and wicked.
This appointment should be gladly welcomed and celebrated by all Kogites and not trying to throw the spanner at the wheel.
These disgruntled elements should know that Kogi State belongs to all of us and no section of the state has the monopoly of knowledge or power.
Other parts of the state, like Kogi East, have equal right to enjoy any appointment within Kogi State.
It could be recalled that appointments to critical positions in Kogi State University, Anyigba for close to two decades had enjoyed Kogi East patronage, but Governor Yahaya Bello changed that situation in order to carry every part of the state along. Governor Bello has come to address all the ill practices perpetrated by the Igala when they held sway right from the creation of Kogi State.