Encroachers and unlawful squatters are seizing control of Osun university's property, says VC

Professor Taiwo Asaolu, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilesa, Osun State, has highlighted the numerous challenges faced by vice-chancellors of Nigerian universities in administering their institutions, citing diverse and conflicting interests among stakeholders as a major pressure point.

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Asaolu, a professor of Accounting, made this statement during the Second Bursary and Internal Audit Annual Lecture of Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State, on Wednesday, where he delivered a lecture titled “Ethics under pressure: Managing financial risk and integrity in university governance.

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The administration of a university is a daunting task, according to Asaolu, who noted that some former vice-chancellors of Nigerian universities have been sentenced to jail terms due to improper handling of issues during their tenures.

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Asaolu cited his own university as an example, stating that he has been facing challenges such as land grabbing, illegal occupation of campus land, and pressure from other stakeholders, including traditional rulers in Ijesa land.

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He revealed that there are currently illegal residents on the university campus, rearing animals, and that efforts to remove them have been unsuccessful, while land grabbers are also seeking to retrieve land that has already been compensated for.

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Asaolu emphasized the complexity of university administration, citing the need to reckon with diverse stakeholders, including traditional rulers, students, parents, management, staff, and teachers.

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To address these challenges, Asaolu called on university governing councils to establish an independent audit and risk committee with external experts to enhance objective oversight of financial management systems.

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He also urged school managements to implement a comprehensive whistleblowing policy and ethical training to facilitate early detection of fraud and promote a culture of accountability.

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Professor Adenike Oladiji, the Chairman of the occasion and Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, commended Asaolu's lecture, noting that the topic was apt given the pressures faced by university administrators.

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Oladiji emphasized the importance of being guided by the law in dealing with the pressures of university administration, and also called for sensitization to educate stakeholders about the potential for conflicting interests and expectations.

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Earlier, the Bursar of Elizade University, Mr Ajeigbe Samuel, had noted that the choice of lecture topic was timely, given the social, financial, and political pressures contending with professionalism in university financial management.