ON IFE CHANCELLORSHIP, AWO AND AKINTOLA [Re: [Naijanet] Who is the , First Chancellor of University of Ife?]
Mobolaji E. Aluko
Kale and Wale:
There was another point that I failed to address: who appointed the great
(and one of Awo's young turks) Prof. Hezekiah Oluwasanmi as
Vice-Chancellor of Ife? Not Akintola, not Awo, then who?
Well, the first act of Western Regional military administrator Colonel
Adekunle Fajuyi (ex-Christ's School) was to FIRE Prof. Oladele Ajose as VC
AND appoint Oluwasanmi in his place! Within three to four months
afterwards, however, Fajuyi was dead, co-victim with Aguiyi-Ironsi who was
visiting Ibadan in July 1966, to be replaced by Brigadier Adeyinka
Adebayo, (ex-Christ's School) and father of present governor of Ekiti
State :-) So Adebayo made way for Awo's "Chancellorship" in May 1967 by
calling himself "Visitor" to the University of Ife!
Abo mi finally re o!
Bolaji Aluko
PS: A historical note: one of Chief Oshuntokun's sons, Kunle, was my
very good friend in Christ's School, so good in fact that we were once
suspended from school together for eating outside compound one fine Sunday
afternoon without an exeat! :-) Kunle's maternal grandfather (Chief
Oshuntokun's father-in-law), Bishop Osanyin, then Chairman, Board of
Governors of Christ's School, saved us from being sent home. You see, I am
an iconoclast when it comes to historical enmities. :-)
On Tue, 10 Oct 2000, Mobolaji E. Aluko wrote:
>
>
> / / /
> My dear Kale & Wale:
> ~
>
> I have been following the discussion/argument between the two of you - two
> dear and long-time good friends of mine - with a sense of amusement.
> Amusement, because I see Kale as a die-hard Akintola-man from Ogbomosho
> (like Akintola) man going to bat for his hero (SLA), and Wale as a
> die-hard Awolowo Ijebu man (like Awo) going to bat for his hero (Awo.)
> Since I don't want the proverbial blood splashed on our screens, may I
> intervene?
>
> But first a word: Prof. Jide Oshuntokun (ex-Christ's School; up School!),
> like most people in discussions which surround Awo and Akintola, cannot be
> quoted as a thoroughly objective person in this matter. His senior
> brother, Chief Oshuntokun (ex-Christ's School teacher), was a former NCNC
> man (from my Ekiti State) who later crossed over and became a minister
> under Chief. Akintola NNDP/UPP. He even testified against Chief. Awolowo
> during his treason trial of 1962/63. Chief Oshuntokun was not a very
> popular man in Ekiti. But his brother and historian/political
> scientist/ambassador Prof. Jide Oshuntokun - jailed by Abacha in his
> dying days for ostensibly meeting Wole Soyinka in Canada, a lie by the way
> - has been brave enough to write a book to make Akintola look better than
> he really is. I would say that it is difficult to put lipstick on a frog
> to beautify it. That, is of course, how I feel about SLA. So one must be
> careful to put weight on Prof. Oshuntokun's statements.
>
> But that does not mean that facts are not facts, but they must be
> ascertained BEFORE we give credence one way or the other.
>
> So earlier today, I called my father, Prof. Sam Aluko, who was in the
> thick of all of these issues during the period in question almost 40 years
> ago, to ascertain some of the facts. Again, I also hasten to add that I
> cannot take my father to be FULLY OBJECTIVE because of his pro-Awo,
> anti-Akintola tendencies. After all, Akintola sacked him in October 1963
> or so for debunking some of government's lies against Awo in the Coker
> Commission in 1962, and he also testified favorably in Awo's treason trial
> in 1962/63. Furthermore, I myself needed to fill him in with some of the
> dates from my deep archives, to remind him of some sequences. But by and
> by, I was able to get a clearer picture of what happened.
>
> So here goes......
>
> As I said before, Unife was conceived in 1960 by the Awo's Action Group
> under Awo's premiership. (Akintola became premier on October 1, 1960).
> It is also true that Chief FRA Williams was the first Chairman of Council
> of Unife, a council approved in 1961. (I don't know when it was actually
> inaugurated, or whether he was called Pro-Chancellor then.) Remember that
> Williams used to be Party Legal Secretary of AG before he resigned. By
> October 1, when Akintola was premier, Awo was leader of Opposition in the
> Federal House in Lagos and the undisputed national leader of the Action
> Group, even though rumblings were beginning to occur in Ibadan, courtesy
> Akintola.
>
> You will also recall that the University of Ife started in October 1962
> (like ABU and Lagos.) BUT THIS WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STATE OF EMERGENCY
> in the Western Region, which lasted from May 1962 to December 1962. During
> this period, Dr. M.A. Majekodunmi (a Senator in the Federal Republic and
> Tafawa Balewa's private doctor) was appointed Western region
> administrator, and there was no premier. Also, at this time, Awolowo was
> in confinement to his home beginning May 1962; the Coker Commission of
> Enquiry on him began September 1962; and the treason trial against him
> began November 1962. His trial ended June 1963, and he was sentenced
> September 11, 1963.
>
> SO IN FACT, AKINTOLA WAS NOT PREMIER WHEN THE UNIVERSITY OF IFE STARTED in
> October 1962! He was from the beginning of 1962 to its end was fighting
> for his political life! Same as Awolowo. Who governed the University of
> Ife was the least of their problems.
>
> It was this FRA Williams Council, in conjunction with the 59-man Planning
> Committee, that decided to choose Prof. Oladele Ajose (not Babatunde,
> maybe not Ayodele; Ajose who was at that time the Medical Director of
> Lagos City Medical Council or Center) as first Vice-Chancellor, and Chief
> AY Eke (from the midwestern part; not a region yet) as first Registrar.
>
> A side note: my father was on a study leave in the United States from
> April 1962 to September 1962, and actually missed some of the "fun" of the
> fights in the House in the Western Region, but was back in time for the
> opening of the University of Ife in October 1962.
>
> Pressing on.....
>
> When Akintola became re-installed premier in January 1963 by order of the
> Balewa government, particularly after the ruling of the Supreme Court
> reversing his dismissal by the Governor-General Adesoji Aderemi, he
> devoted his attention to organizing his UPP party and consolidating his
> hold on power in the Western Region. Again, Ife was at first not his
> priority.
>
> But the "young turks" at the University of Ife - Oyenuga, Odumosu, Fayemi,
> Aluko, etc. - who were the intelligentsia of the Action Group, though not
> really formally members of AG; Oluwasanmi was then a lecturer at the
> University of Ibadan - were giving Akintola trouble, particularly on the
> pages of the Tribune newspaper, debunking all the lies told against
> Awolowo in the Coker commission report. Akintola's Sketch newspaper was
> not enough firepower. Thus it was in 1963 that Akintola decided to turn
> his attention to the University, dragging some of the lecturers, including
> Prof. Aluko, Odumosu, Oyenuga and Fayemi to court for sedition in
> August/October 1963. That led to the conviction of some of then and
> dismissal/resignation of all of them.
>
> But before then, Akintola had installed Dr. Saburi Biobaku - erstwhile
> Deputy Registrar at the University of Ibadan, recent past Secretary to the
> Premier (Akintola) and Executive Council SPEC - as Director of Institute
> of African Studies and Pro-Vice Chancellor to Vice-Chancellor Oladele
> Ajose. BIOBAKU BECAME AKINTOLA'S ARROWHEAD at the University, attempting
> to whip the lecturers there into conformity, and making a famous speech
> that "credo of the University of Ife was to support the government of the
> day." Akintola also dismissed FRA WIlliams, and replaced him with Justice
> Somade. Both Biobaku and Somade therefore presided over the dismissal of
> the "young turks" from the University in late 1963. [SIDE NOTE: When
> today you see Biobaku shying away from Afenifere, etc., now you know why!
> :-)]
>
> Following those crisis, as well as the 1963 census crisis, the following
> 1964 was an election year, and things were pretty rough both in the
> Western Region and in the University of Ife. By this time, after about six
> jobless months, my father took up job at the University of Nigeria,
> Nsukka, while the first round of "operation wetie" began in the West, as
> Akintola rigged the December 1964 elections like no man's business. He
> remained the Premier.
>
> Back to Ife. The first set of University of Ife graduates were coming up
> in June 1965, and there was therefore thought to be a need to formally
> have a Chancellor, so Akintola got the kangaroo Council to announce him
> Chancellor, and attempted to have an installation ceremony. IT NEVER
> HAPPENED, because the whole of Ife campus was almost in flames, with Ife
> students and thugs from around vowing to disrupt it! Also, the whole
> region was in the throes of the second round of "operation weties" These
> "troubles" occurred.....until the military coup in January 1966, when
> Akintola was assassinated along with the other politicians!
>
> So that is apparently the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the
> truth! Akintola was the first ANNOUNCED Vice-Chancellor - announced but
> never installed - and Chief Obafemi Awolowo was in 1967 the first
> INSTALLED - and hence substantive - Vice-Chancellor of my proud
> university!
>
> So, Kale, in fact from the above, THERE WAS NO CHANCELLOR OF THE
> UNIVERSITY OF IFE FROM 1962 TO 1967! Period. Except of course you say
> that because Akintola was announced but never installed, then he was
> Chancellor. It would be like saying that MKO Abiola was President of
> Nigeria from June 12, 1993 to July 7, 1998. That would be absurd, would
> it not?
>
> If you doubt this, please find out from Prof. Oshuntokun when Chief SL
> Akintola was installed Chancellor of the University of Ife. :-)
>
> Please note this: when the University of Ife was established in 1962,
> there could not have been a law requiring the premier of the region to be
> its Chancellor, because, knowing Awolowo, the logical person to be
> Chancellor would have been Chief Obafemi Awolowo - and he was not premier
> of the Western Region in 1962! After all, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was
> Chancellor of UNN - and he was not premier of the Eastern Region. So for
> Prof. Oshuntokun to write on page 143 of his book that SLA was made "First
> Chancellor, which was normal, because he was Head of Government,.." was
> simply not true. There was no such "normality" written into any of the
> first-generation universities, and he imputes later practice unto an
> earlier time, thereby distorting time and history.
>
> Finally, you write that Chief Akintola's "crime was that he exposed the
> failure of "democratic-socialism" as a fraud". Absolutely not true. His
> crime was that he became a traitor and connived to seize power when he
> could not get the majority of his party - AG - to come to agree with him:
>
> (i) not to strive to continue to be a national party, contesting seats
> outside the Western Region; and
>
> (ii) that it was necessary for the party to collaborate with the NPC to
> share power in the Federal government. He did not very much like the idea
> of a "permanent opposition", having been in a coalition government with
> NPC and NCNC from 1954 to 1959.
>
>
> All his "pooh-poohing" Awo's democratic socialism was playing to the
> gallery.
>
>
> Best wishes.
>
>
> Bolaji Aluko
>
>
> On Tue, 10 Oct 2000, Kale Oyedeji wrote:
>
> > Ayo, I had serialised the book on naijanet about three years ago. I shall
> > have to look for the copy or scan relevant portions on the net. What is
> > meant is that University of Ife started classes in October 1962.
> >
> > The Sir Eric Ashby commission was set up in 1959. "Even though the
> > commission did not recommend another university in western Nigeria, Chief
> > Akintola's government, pridded by Chief Awolowo and young turks in the
> > Action Group, enacted on the 8th of June, 1961, the law providing for the
> > establishment of a Provisional Council for the University of Ife......"
> > The council was inaugurated on 26 June 1961 with FRA Williams as the
> > Chairman, Pro-Chancellor. My question then is, who was the Chancellor of
> > Ife between 1962 and 1967? Is Professor Ayodele Ajose the first VC or
> > Professor Hezekiah Oluwasanmi.
> >
> > On page 143 of Jide's book, he stated that SLA was made "First
> > Chancellor, which was normal, because he was Head of Government,..". But
> > remember that the idea of Visitor to a university was introduced by the
> > military in 1966 or 1967. My point is still that no credit was ever given
> > to Chief SLA in all of these. His crime was that hew exposed the failure
> > of "democratic-socialism" as a fraud, "It's a meaningless foreign jargon
> > not compactible with original Yoruba or African aspirations, and not
> > translatable in any meaningful way into Yoruba or any African language."
> > Said SLA. That was his greatest crime. See African Concord of 24 July
> > 1989 for more on this.
> >
> > I shall oblige you your request at the weekend.
> >
> > 'Kale Oyedeji
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On Mon, 9 Oct 2000 23:06:46 -0500 "Ayowale B. Ogunye"
> > <aog...@ix.netcom.com> writes:
> > > Prof:
> > >
> > > Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, I do not have the Osuntokun
> > > book.
> > > Therefore, for us to debate this issue with any degree of
> > > quantitative
> > > maturity, we have to have the facts. Since you have the book and is
> > > the
> > > main proponent of Chief Akintola been the first Chancellor, please
> > > reproduce
> > > the mentioned excerpts or pages.
> > >
> > > Again I have to respectfully bring a contrary and authoritative
> > > point of
> > > view to bear. You said Ife was established in 1962. Awo says NOT. I
> > > quote
> > > from the earlier reference by Chief Awolowo: "The University of Ife
> > > was
> > > founded in 1960; and although it was officially opened in 1961, it
> > > actually
> > > began its regular academic session in its Ibadan Campus in the year
> > > 1962."
> > > Again, either Papa Awolowo is WRONG or Professor Osuntokun did a
> > > shoddy job
> > > in putting together the SLA Akintola book.
> > >
> > > It appears to me the Chief SLA Akintola, former Premier of the
> > > Western
> > > Region, COULD NOT have been a Chancellor at the University of Ife.
> > > WHY?
> > > Because as the premier, he would have had to be the University's
> > > Visitor as
> > > the Head of Government of the Western Region. Just like the Head of
> > > State is
> > > now the Visitor to all Federal Universities and the State Governor
> > > is the
> > > visitor to State Universities.
> > >
> > > And to your curiosity about Awo stressing that he was the first
> > > Chancellor,
> > > it has to be because he was been honored with a singular and
> > > profound
> > > distinction--First Chancellor of the University of Ife.
> > >
> > > I look forward to you excerpting the relevant pages from Prof.
> > > Osuntokun's
> > > book to contradict Papa Obafemi Awolowo.
> > >
> > > Wale Ogunye
> > >
> > > PS: The Chairman of the Provisional Council is the Pro-Chancellor.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Kale Oyedeji <koye...@juno.com>
> > > To: aog...@ix.netcom.com <aog...@ix.netcom.com>
> > > Cc: uche.e...@spdc.shell.com <uche.e...@spdc.shell.com>;
> > > koye...@juno.com <koye...@juno.com>; tch...@yahoo.com
> > > <tch...@yahoo.com>; mal...@scs.howard.edu <mal...@scs.howard.edu>;
> > > JOD...@aol.com <JOD...@aol.com>; naij...@egroups.com
> > > <naij...@egroups.com>
> > > Date: Monday, October 09, 2000 10:03 PM
> > > Subject: Re: [Naijanet] Who is the First Chancellor of University of
> > > Ife?
> > >
> > >
> > > >Ayo, "University of Ife was established in 1962 by an act of the
> > > western
> > > >Nigerian Parliament. Professor Ayodele, the first Nigerian
> > > professor of
> > > >medicine was appointed Vice Chancellor without any political
> > > dispute by
> > > >the University of Ife Provisional Council." So, how can the chief
> > > be
> > > >installed in 1967? Goes to show you how the Action Group tried very
> > > hard
> > > >to obliterate all the good work of Chief SLA. Ask Bolaji, his
> > > father and
> > > >Prof. Oyenuga left Ife because to avoid toeing Akintola government
> > > line.
> > > >
> > > >Ayo, don't you wonder why the Chief was emphasizing that he was the
> > > >first. Was the University without a chancellor for five years?
> > > Please
> > > >read pages 84, 86-87, and 142-143 of Chief S.L.A. Akintola, his
> > > Life and
> > > >Times, by Akinjide Osuntokun. Chief F. R. A. Williams was the first
> > > >Chairman of the Provisional Council. Action re-wrote not only the
> > > history
> > > >of Western Nigeria, they wrote the history of the Yoruba.
> > > >
> > > >When the real objective historians write the true history of that
> > > >University, the truth shall indeed make men free.
> > > >
> > > >'Kale Oyedeji
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >On Mon, 9 Oct 2000 18:01:39 -0500 "Ayowale B. Ogunye"
> > > ><aog...@ix.netcom.com> writes:
> > > >> Prof Oyedeji:
> > > >>
> > > >> You claim in your note that revisionists are distorting facts by
> > > >> claiming
> > > >> that Papa Obafemi Awolowo was not the first Chancellor of the
> > > >> University of
> > > >> Ife, based on your reading of a book by Prof. (Amb.) Jide
> > > Osuntokun.
> > > >>
> > > >> I will like to add my one or two cents here.
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >> Begin quote:["My March Through Prison, Adventures in Power-book
> > > 1",
> > > >> by
> > > >> Obafemi Awolowo, page 316]:
> > > >> ......
> > > >>
> > > >> "On Monday 15 May, 1967, I was installed as the first Chancellor
> > > of
> > > >> the
> > > >> University of Ife, at a very impressive ceremony witnessed by
> > > some
> > > >> of the
> > > >> most distinguished personages in Nigeria."
> > > >>
> > > >> .........
> > > >>
> > > >> End quote.
> > > >>
> > > >> Begin quote:[ "It is too much of a risk for the army to remain in
> > > >> power",
> > > >> Address delivered by Chief Obafemi Awolowo on the occasion of
> > > his
> > > >> installation as the first Chancellor or the University of Ife at
> > > >> Ile-Ife on
> > > >> Monday, 15th May, 1967. Voice of Wisdom -Selected speeches of
> > > Chief
> > > >> Obafemi
> > > >> Awolowo, Fagbamigbe Publishers]
> > > >>
> > > >> "Your excellencies, your highness, my lords, ladies and
> > > gentlemen,
> > > >> 'When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like
> > > them
> > > >> that
> > > >> dream'.
> > > >> Today, my heart overflows with profound gratitude to God Who has
> > > >> made it
> > > >> possible for me to be in this gathering, and to play in it the
> > > >> historic role
> > > >> of the first Chancellor of this most promising university.
> > > >>
> > > >> ..........
> > > >>
> > > >> End Quote.
> > > >>
> > > >> Based on the record laid down by Chief Awolowo, one of two things
> > > is
> > > >> happening here: Either Papa Awolowo is being economical with the
> > > >> facts or
> > > >> the Professor of History/Ambassador if being mischievous with
> > > >> whatever fact
> > > >> Prof. Oyedeji is referring to. This brings to mind a situation
> > > >> during the
> > > >> junta of Idiagbon and Buhari. Brig. Idiagbon had come out
> > > charging
> > > >> the
> > > >> Chief Onabanjo had confessed to some details about a corrupt
> > > >> practise that I
> > > >> don't remember now. Papa Awo came out to deny all that Idiagbon
> > > >> said, and
> > > >> charged that either HE was lying or Idiagbon was lying. If I
> > > >> remember
> > > >> correctly, Idiagbon never replied the Grand Old Man.
> > > >>
> > > >> Awolowo's speech says it all: he was the first Chancellor of the
> > > >> University
> > > >> of Ife. Professor Oyedeji, you would so us so much good, if you
> > > can
> > > >> reproduce for our collective benefit, the paragraph where Prof.
> > > >> Osuntokun
> > > >> alleged that Chief Akintola was the first Chancellor.
> > > >>
> > > >> This is indeed interesting: Papa Awolowo's integrity is being
> > > >> challenged by
> > > >> Prof.(Amb.) Osuntokun. Before we delve into this nuisance issue
> > > any
> > > >> further,
> > > >> probing who Amb. Osuntokun is, what his political antecedents
> > > are,
> > > >> whose
> > > >> biographies he has been writing, his political orientation, it
> > > would
> > > >> be glad
> > > >> to read succinctly from his book. Prof Oyedeji, over to you.
> > > >>
> > > >> Wale Ogunye
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >> -----Original Message-----
> > > >> From: Kale Oyedeji <koye...@juno.com>
> > > >> To: uche.e...@spdc.shell.com <uche.e...@spdc.shell.com>
> > > >> Cc: tch...@yahoo.com <tch...@yahoo.com>; mal...@scs.howard.edu
> > > >> <mal...@scs.howard.edu>; JOD...@aol.com <JOD...@aol.com>;
> > > >> naij...@egroups.com <naij...@egroups.com>
> > > >> Date: Monday, October 09, 2000 12:55 PM
> > > >> Subject: [Naijanet] Who is the First Chancellor of University of
> > > >> Ife?
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >> > "Its first Vice-Chancellor was Prof. Babatunde Ajose, followed
> > > by
> > > >> Prof.
> > > >> >Hezekiah Oluwasanmi who oversaw the movement of the university
> > > to
> > > >> its
> > > >> >permanent Ile-Ife site
> > > >> > in January 1967 during the military regime of General Gowon.
> > > ..."
> > > >> >
> > > >> >The statement above is very intereting because some revisionists
> > > >> have
> > > >> >always claimed that Prof. Oluwasanmi was the first VC at Ife.
> > > The
> > > >> Premier
> > > >> >of Western region, Chief SLA Akintola, the first Chancellor of
> > > Ife,
> > > >> >appointed Prof. Babatunde Ajose as the first VC. But the
> > > >> revisionists
> > > >> >have always claimed it was Chief Awolowo.
> > > >> >
> > > >> >Also, not many people knew that the Sketch newspaper was the
> > > >> brain-child
> > > >> >of Chief SLA, yet during the anniversary of the paper, the
> > > >> revisionists
> > > >> >made sure SLA's name was never mentioned.
> > > >> >
> > > >> >To learn from the other side, you must read Jide Osuntokun's
> > > book.
> > > >> >
> > > >> >'Kale Oyedeji
> > > >> >
> > > >> >
> > > >> >
> > > >> >
> > > >> >On Mon, 9 Oct 2000 09:41:14 +0100 uche.e...@spdc.shell.com
> > > >> writes:
> > > >> >> Okn,
> > > >> >>
> > > >> >> I can't understand your conclusions from the posting below,
> > > >> could
> > > >> >> you
> > > >> >> please explain further.
> > > >> >>
> > > >> >> Uche
> > > >> >>
> > > >> >> -----Original Message-----
> > > >> >> From: Ekenlor Idi [mailto:tch...@yahoo.com]
> > > >> >> Sent: 07 October 2000 17:26
> > > >> >> To: Mobolaji E. Aluko; JOD...@aol.com
> > > >> >> Cc: naij...@egroups.com; Nowa Omoigui; guka...@netzero.net;
> > > >> >> OKQu...@aol.com; riyi...@yahoo.com;
> > > >> igbo...@lists.cc.utexas.edu;
> > > >> >> riv...@siue.edu; ek...@wombat.eng.fsu.edu;
> > > >> >> aaki...@acme.highpoint.edu;
> > > >> >> alat...@netzero.net; amael...@smartisp.com;
> > > >> >> aog...@ix.netcom.com;
> > > >> >> AOr...@aol.com; awo...@cyberspace.net.ng; Bad...@aol.com;
> > > >> >> Bo...@aol.com; Bol...@erols.com; Da...@aol.com; Imeh Inyang;
> > > >> >> Fela...@aol.com; genera...@freedom98.org;
> > > ibn...@yahoo.com;
> > > >> >> IG...@aol.com; In...@yorubanation.org; koye...@morehouse.edu;
> > > >> >> Lase...@aol.com; LEK...@aol.com; ndug...@naijanet.com;
> > > >> >> akwa-cr...@lists.stanford.edu; yorub...@onelist.com;
> > > >> >> oko...@usafricaonline.com; Ola...@aol.com; oluok...@msn.com;
> > > >> >> oola...@dcsmserver.med.sc.edu; o...@randomc.com;
> > > >> >> owens...@camh.net;
> > > >> >> quincynet-...@egroups.com; Tajol...@aol.com;
> > > >> >> Tun...@aol.com;
> > > >> >> tun...@netzero.net; Walea...@aol.com;
> > > wen...@oceanfree.net;
> > > >> >> Wick...@aol.com; Yoruba-c...@egroups.com;
> > > >> >> Yorubas-...@egroups.com; Aka...@aol.com
> > > >> >> Subject: [Naijanet] Re: ON FIRST-GENERATION UNIVERSITIES
> > > CREATION
> > > >> IN
> > > >> >> NIGERIA [Re: [yorubas-community] Re: On State Creation in 1967
> > > >> >> (fwd)]
> > > >> >>
> > > >> >>
> > > >> >>
> > > >> >> -
> > > >> >> >
> > > >> >> > (3) In 1960, the Ashby Commision on Post-School Certificate
> > > >> and
> > > >> >> > Higher
> > > >> >> > Education in Nigeria released a report recommending the
> > > >> >> > establishment
> > > >> >> > of three additional universities - in Lagos, in Zaria
> > > (on
> > > >> the
> > > >> >> > site
> > > >> >> > of the Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology
> > > >> >> > NCAST), and
> > > >> >> > the one (the University of Nigeria) being already
> > > planned
> > > >> in
> > > >> >> > the
> > > >> >> > Eastern Region. They were recommended to be all
> > > >> autonomous.
> > > >> >> > The idea was that each of the existing regions (North,
> > > >> East,
> > > >> >> > West)
> > > >> >> > would now have a university, with one in the center,
> > > >> Lagos.
> > > >> >> >
> > > >> >>
> > > >> >> >
> > > >> >> > (5) Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria opened on NCAST, Zaria's
> > > >> >> campus
> > > >> >> > in
> > > >> >> > October 1962 as a REGIONAL university with partial
> > > federal
> > > >> >> > support.
> > > >> >>
> > > >> >>
> > > >> >> >
> > > >> >> > (6) The University of Ife, though not proposed by the
> > > Ashby
> > > >> >> > commission,
> > > >> >> > ALSO opened in October 1962, at the insistence (while
> > > >> >> premier)
> > > >> >> > of
> > > >> >> > Chief Obafemi Awolowo's Action Group government, which
> > > had
> > > >> >> > already
> > > >> >> > announced its intentions anyway in 1960. It went ahead
> > > in
> > > >> >> > 1960 and
> > > >> >> > established a 59-member, all-Western-Nigeria-origin
> > > >> planning
> > > >> >> > committee, a university parliamentary committee to
> > > advise
> > > >> the
> > > >> >> > Western
> > > >> >> > Nigerian minister of education. The Western Nigeria
> > > >> assembly
> > > >> >> > passed
> > > >> >> > a law establishing the University of Ife in June 1961.
> > > >> With
> > > >> >> > the
> > > >> >> > sound argument that the West would then be the only
> > > region
> > > >> >> > without a
> > > >> >> > REGIONAL university, the Federal government yielded to
> > > Awo
> > > >> >> > pressure,
> > > >> >> > and turned over NCAST, Ibadan campus to the University
> > > of
> > > >> >> Ife,
> > > >> >> > rather
> > > >> >> > than turn it over to UI as originally planned. Ife was
> > > >> thus
> > > >> >> > the
> > > >> >> > first Nigerian university to be established on the
> > > >> >> > recommendation of
> > > >> >> > an all-Nigerian commitee, and can truly lay claim to
> > > be
> > > >> the
> > > >> >> > first
> > > >> >> > INDIGENOUS Nigerian university in establishment and
> > > >> >> > governance, for
> > > >> >> > whatever that claim is worth. Its first Vice-Chancellor
> > > >> was
> > > >> >> > Prof.
> > > >> >> > Babatunde Ajose, followed by Prof. Hezekiah Oluwasanmi
> > > who
> > > >> >> > oversaw
> > > >> >> > the movement of the university to its permanent Ile-Ife
> > > >> site
> > > >> >> > in January 1967 during the military regime of General
> > > Gowon.
> > > >> >>
> > > >> >> Ogbeni Bolaji Aluko:
> > > >> >>
> > > >> >> I "hands up" for you. You too musch dis taime. Well, so Ife
> > > >> (Great
> > > >> >> Ife - never mind that circumstances developed in way such
> > > that I
> > > >> >> could not accept her admission to read law :-)) is the first
> > > >> >> INDIGENOUS ........ UNIFE must be proud of you, a true alum
> > > >> indeed
> > > >> >> :-)))
> > > >> >>
> > > >> >> Make I dodge before Gani and the UI gang come swin'g.
> > > >> >>
> > > >> >>
> > > >> >> okn
> > > >> >> +++
> > > >> >>
> > > >> >>
> > > >> >> __________________________________________________
> > > >> >> Do You Yahoo!?
> > > >> >> Yahoo! Photos - 35mm Quality Prints, Now Get 15 Free!
> > > >> >> http://photos.yahoo.com/
> > > >> >>
> > > >> >> _/_/_/__/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_
> > > >> >> The Naijanet Referendum Committee needs volunteers. If you are
> > > >> >> interested in
> > > >> >> being a member, please send a subscription request to:
> > > >> >>
> > > >> >> ecnaijanet...@egroups.com
> > > >> >>
> > > >> >> --
> > > >> >> Naijanet Admin Instructions
> > > >> >>
> > > >> >> -Send a blank message with the relevant address in the "To"
> > > field
> > > >> >>
> > > >> >> Subscribe: naijanet-...@egroups.com
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> > > >> >> interested in being a member, please send a subscription
> > > request
> > > >> to:
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> > > >> >> Resume Mail: naijane...@egroups.com
> > > >> >> Email LA/ALA: naijane...@eGroups.com
> > > >> >>
> > > >> >
> > > >> >________________________________________________________________
> > > >> >YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET!
> > > >> >Juno now offers FREE Internet Access!
> > > >> >Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit:
> > > >> >http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.
> > > >> >
> > > >> >_/_/_/__/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_
> > > >> >The Naijanet Referendum Committee needs volunteers. If you are
> > > >> interested
> > > >> in being a member, please send a subscription request to:
> > > >> >
> > > >> >ecnaijanet...@egroups.com
> > > >> >
> > > >> >--
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> > > field
> > > >> >
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> > > >> >
> > > >>
> > >
> >
>
>
Mobolaji E. Aluko
otasco otanda
have never read you write anything not in favor of the
guy Awolowo. Is he really 100% righteous in your
eyes?
-K.O.
--- "Mobolaji E. Aluko" <mal...@scs.howard.edu> wrote:
>
> Uzo:
>
>
> No. I cannot be *TOTALLY* objective in any
> discussion about Awo. Are you
> now satisfied, even though you missed the adverb
> "totally?"
>
> But I am the closest to being objective - pro or con
> - that you will get
> around. :-)
>
>
> Bolaji
>
>
> On Wed, 11 Oct 2000, Uzo wrote:
>
> > Bolaji,
> >
> > Following your line of argument you can never be
> objective in the discussion
> > concerning AWO. That explains your stand all
> along.
> >
> > Uzo
> >
>
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get Yahoo! Mail - Free email you can access from anywhere!
http://mail.yahoo.com/
Mobolaji E. Aluko
Uzo
Following your line of argument you can never be objective in the discussion
concerning AWO. That explains your stand all along.
Uzo
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-i...@lists.cc.utexas.edu
[mailto:owner-i...@lists.cc.utexas.edu]On Behalf Of Mobolaji E.
Aluko
Sent: 11 October 2000 01:47
To: Kale Oyedeji; aog...@ix.netcom.com
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Bol...@erols.com; da...@aol.com; Imeh Inyang; ek...@wombat.eng.fsu.edu;
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IG...@aol.com; In...@yorubanation.org; koye...@morehouse.edu;
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Yorubas-...@egroups.com
Subject: ON IFE CHANCELLORSHIP, AWO AND AKINTOLA [Re: [Naijanet] Who is
the , First Chancellor of University of Ife?]
So here goes......
Pressing on.....
Best wishes.
Bolaji Aluko
> > >> dream'..
Mobolaji E. Aluko
K.O.:
The first "con" that I have against Chief Awolowo is his going to Lagos
(to the Federal level) from Ibadan (the Western Region level) in 1960. The
other "con" is his giving many Ndiigbo the opportunity to hate him so, for
real or imagined reasons. The third "con" is that he is human.
Other than those, I can't think of any other cons. Other than those, he
is 100% righteous.
A bo mi re o!
Bolaji
On Wed, 11 Oct 2000, otasco otanda wrote:
> Now, may we hear your cons on Awolowo, professor. I
> have never read you write anything not in favor of the
> guy Awolowo. Is he really 100% righteous in your
> eyes?
> -K.O.
>
> --- "Mobolaji E. Aluko" <mal...@scs.howard.edu> wrote:
> >
> > Uzo:
> >
> >
> > No. I cannot be *TOTALLY* objective in any
> > discussion about Awo. Are you
> > now satisfied, even though you missed the adverb
> > "totally?"
> >
> > But I am the closest to being objective - pro or con
> > - that you will get
> > around. :-)
> >
> >
> > Bolaji
> >
> >
> > On Wed, 11 Oct 2000, Uzo wrote:
> >
> > > Bolaji,
> > >
> > > Following your line of argument you can never be
> > objective in the discussion
> > > concerning AWO. That explains your stand all
> > along.
> > >
> > > Uzo
> > >
> >
>
>
Ikechukwuka Oguocha
As usual, a very lengthy History 101 lesson for your readers. But, thanks
for refreshing our retired memories and adding a new dimension to the
thread. I was expecting to read you before this thread finally dies
a natural death. You did not surprise us. Dr. Kale now knows that you
have been waiting for a time like to supply the missing links. Well,
permit me to trouble you again, even if you have given up on giving
me a "teachable moment".
Let's read what you wrote below:
:On Tue, 10 Oct 2000, Mobolaji E. Aluko wrote:
: Following those crisis, as well as the 1963 census crisis, the following
: 1964 was an election year, and things were pretty rough both in the
: Western Region and in the University of Ife. By this time, after about six
: jobless months, my father took up job at the University of Nigeria,
: Nsukka, while the first round of "operation wetie" began in the West, as
: Akintola rigged the December 1964 elections like no man's business. He
: remained the Premier.
You seem to be telling us that your dad saw an ad from the University
of Nigeria, Nsukka, and applied for the vacant position there. I don't
have all the facts to say otherwise but I would want to believe that
Zik and his NCNC party of that time facilitated the final relocation
of your dad to Nsukka. I don't want to say that Zik wanted to score
some vital political point(s) against the AG, however, could it be
possible that your dad waited for six months (before accepting the
Nsukka offer, which was reportedly given much earlier than the time
it was accepted) in order for the AG to come terms with the NCNC
"good heartedness"? Would you mind re-confirming with your dad, now
that this matter of his moving to Nsukka has matured for a discussion,
when he started looking at the UNN or when the offer was made to him
and by whom? I mean, were there some unspoken and unwritten political
moves that facilitated his relocation to Nsukka or did he just come
to an unbiased personal conclusion that it's high time he moved to
the East? You see, I don't like the way all these defeated ex-Biafrans
boast around how Biafrans salvaged your dad after the Ife fracas.
Let's know, once and for all, what happened between your dad, Zik's
NCNC, Biafrans, and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
: So that is apparently the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the
: truth! Akintola was the first ANNOUNCED Vice-Chancellor - announced but
: never installed - and Chief Obafemi Awolowo was in 1967 the first
: INSTALLED - and hence substantive - Vice-Chancellor of my proud
: university!
Do you mean Chancellor or Vice-Chancellor above? Which one was
"ANNOUNCED"?
: So, Kale, in fact from the above, THERE WAS NO CHANCELLOR OF THE
: UNIVERSITY OF IFE FROM 1962 TO 1967! Period. Except of course you say
: that because Akintola was announced but never installed, then he was
: Chancellor. It would be like saying that MKO Abiola was President of
: Nigeria from June 12, 1993 to July 7, 1998. That would be absurd, would
: it not?
Now, did you have any fact(s) to show that Chief Akintola never attended
the Board meetings of the Unife Governing Council in his capacity as the
the "Announced" Chancellor of Ife? Did you ask your dad if anything
like that happened? It's important for us to know this because, as you
would agree with me, the period 1962-1967 is too long a period for a
University not to have a substantive/sitting Chancellor. And btw,
who "announced" Akintola the Chancellor of Unife - the Sketch, the
Tribune, or the Radio/TV? And how often do people with "announced"
positions in Nigeria get to be "sworn-in" before their positions
become legit? Yes, I know that LGA Chairpersons, Governors,
Chief Judges, Presidents, .... are sworn in to an oath of office.
Are ceremonial university Chancellors sworn in too? Were there
any clause(s) in the Unife Charter of 1962-1967 that stipulated
that the Chancelor must be sworn-in before it becomes legit?
Again, was Chief MKO Abiola ever "announced" as the President of
Nigeria by the Government of the day or by the election body? Did
Prof. Nwosu ever proclaim him the winner of the 1993 presidential
election? I used to read that Chief MKO Abiola was the "presumed
winner" of the June 12, 1993, presidential election. I stand to
be corrected.
Many thanks in advance and let peace reign in Nigeria.
Oguocha