Violent protest, tears as court remands ex-OAU VC again

Workers and students of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife on Tuesday cried hearing that their former acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Anthony Elujoba, was ordered to be returned to prison.

When the Elujoba appeared on Tuesday, hundreds stormed the court premises with him.

The protesting students and workers insisted that Prof. Elujoba be freed, noting that a former VC of the OAU, Prof. Bamitale Omole, be tried and remanded.

They also blocked all the entry and exit routes into the High Court, sitting in Ede where the bail application was held.

Both the justices, lawyers and other court workers were held hostage by the protesters.

During the proceeding, the defence counsel, Ibrahim Lawal, argued that retaining Prof. Elujoba in detention would amount to an infringement on his freedom of movement.

After hearing from the two counsels, Justice David Oladimeji, explained that it would be difficult for him to deliver the judgement this week.

He also stated that vacation commences by end of the week, but the the defence cousel pleaded that a date should be fixed.

Justice Oladimeji said, “This case is hereby further adjourned by agreement of counsels till Wednesday, July 19, for ruling on bail application. The two defendants shall be remanded in the Ilesha Prison pending the delivery of the ruling.”

After the ruling, wife of Prof. Elujoba, was seen weeping and shouting that her husband “stole no fund.”
Mrs Elujoba who wept profusely lamented that her husband was unduly punished.

Also, the students and workers embarked in a violent protest, which resulted into the damage of a vehicle.

They also attacked a person, believed to be a spy for those that wrote petition against the former acting VC.

The protest intensified when security officials were mobilised to the venue of the protest.

When the protesters sighted the security men, they went berserk and chanted anti-oppression songs.

While some were armed with placards, others were seen with sticks and other mild weapons, including charms.

Earlier, the staff and Students the OAU unanimously declared a shut down of the institution over the arraignment of their ex-Vice Chancellor, Prof. Anthony Elujoba.

They said the closure was in solidarity with Prof. Elujoba who was arraigned and kept in custody over alleged misappropriation of N1.4bn.

It would be recalled that Elujoba was summoned by the EFCC alongside the university’s bursar, Mrs. Aderonke Akeredolu, over the payment of the ‘unapproved’ hazard allowances to the institution’s protesting workers.

During Elujoba’s invitation in December 2016, all the unions on the OAU campus also shunned official duties to solidarise with him and challenge the EFCC to probe the administration of the former VC of the OAU, Prof. Bamitale Omole.

It was learnt that the payment of the allowance to both academic and non-academic staff of the university ended continuous protests and unrest in the university.

The unions which declared the shut down of the OAU are Academic Staff Union of Universities, Senior and Non-Academic Staff and Students’ Unions of the University.

During an awareness walk on the campus, members of the ASUU agitated that Prof. Elujoba should be freed.

Chairman of the ASUU OAU, Dr. Niyi Sunmonu, said that all the lecturers have been ordered to shun taking of lectures and statutory meetings.

He said the decision was reached after a meeting held on Monday by the lecturers.

He said, “We are not to take classes or attend any statutory meeting tomorrow in solidarity with our ex-acting VC who has been remanded in the EFCC prison.

“We are all to join him in the palace tomorrow for his bail hearing.”

Both SSANU and NASU chairmen, Messrs. Adewole Oketunde and Wole Adewunmi respectively, said all their members resumed at the court premises.

The OAU SU in a press statement by its Public Relations Officer, Simon Okediji, demanded that the former OAU VC, Prof. Bamitale, should also be investigated and arraigned.

The statement read in part, “This is to inform all Great Ife students that today has been declared a lecture-free day. It should be noted that the Federal High Court in Ede is sitting today over the alleged misappropriation case of our former acting VC. Thus, academic activities have been declared cancelled pending the time the case is heard on Tuesday.

“Furthermore, buses are available at the University Secretariat for whoever is interested in going to Ede today to observe the court session. The Union hereby uses this opportunity to demand the EFCC not to limit their investigation to Prof Elujoba but also to other Former Vice Chancellors of the University especially Prof. Bamitale Omole. We demand his administration to be probed and investigated.”

However, following hours of violent protest by students and workers of the university, Justice Oladimeji adjusted his previous ruling.

He adjusted his bail application delivery date to Friday, July 15 and remand of Prof. Elujoba to EFCC custody.

This, however, relieved the workers who vacated the protest grounds and lifted the exit and entry blockade of the court.