#UNIOSUN: Students Are Protesting Against Best Practice - VC, Labode

The Vice Chancellor of Osun State University Professor Labode Popoola has expressed his discontentment over a needless protest organized by the students against management decision requesting them to pay their fees being a normal procedure for academic registration.

According to the statement released through his office, Professor Popoola explained that management was only appealing students to pay their registrations within the stipulated time which is in tandem with the modus operandi in the academic world.


The vice chancellor said, "simply because we are insisting on best practice by requesting students to pay their fees, even after 12 weeks of resumption.  UNIOSUN students have decided to embark on protest according to them to "amputate all activities" on our campuses."

He cautioned the students to be well guided while embarking on the needless protest, "since the constitution of Nigeria guarantees the right to peaceful protest, we like to encourage decorum while it lasts. We implore all peace-loving staff and students to go about their activities calmly till the "storm in the tea cup subsides." The VC says.

"We implore all to note that this conduct is a threat to public peace and not in accordance with the appeal and dialogues we had with the Students’ leaders. We, however, implore security agencies to take action professionally to ensure the safety and lives and properties of the school, protesters and innocent citizens."

It was gathered that the attitude of noncompliance with standard rules in UNIOSUN predates the tenure of the new VC who was recently appointed to steer the activities of the institution.

It was investigated and established that the vice chancellor inherits an institution that has been badly affected by 'a tradition of noncompliance with best practice' and he has since his enthronement positioned himself to restructure the system and lay a standard foundation for a better academic programme for the students during his tenure in office as vice-chancellor.

Though the VC has a genuine intention based on his experience to change the school for the best. But, insinuation has it that the beneficiaries of the old doings in the institution may be cohesively working to frustrate his efforts.


How best UNIOSUN jumps this first hurdle under the leadership of the new VC would determine how far the 'change mantra' of Professor Labode will succeed.