LECTURERS, HODs DROP STAKES FOR THE REFURBISHMENT OF BROKEN SEATS IN AFFECTED LECTURE ROOMS

Afolasade Ola

Following the new facelift of the faculty of Arts over the past week, students have shown distraught and raised questions over its essence and not the need to attend to more demanding issues.

The Sub-Dean, Dr. (Bar) Oke, was, however, engaged in an interview by the press on Tuesday, 8th of August, 2019 to shed more light on the move made by the management.

According to him, all plans to renovate the faculty was in full gear and invoices for the amendment of room 33, 34, 36, 37, 38, 39 amidst others have been drafted and sent to the office of the Vice Chancellor and respective offices but they have been caught on a hold.

He also adds that promises or pledges made by people were not really coming through and the faculty needed urgent intervention. He later got a worried call from the faculty Dean, Prof. Oladosu Afis, to proffer suggestions on what to do.

The phone conversation led to a call for a board meeting with all lecturers and HODs in the faculty to internally address the situation.

“We initially had a meeting with all departments HOD for internal intervention. We deliberated on what to do and came to a resolute decision to involve all lecturers in the faculty for a raise. Based on our calculations, it was agreed that each lecturer will give a minimum of N23, 000 for a sit and a table. We want to replicate what we have in Room 40 if possible.

Since yesterday when we had the meeting, lecturers have started dropping their stakes. If eventually the intervention comes from the office of the Vice Chancellor, then we can pay attention to the other lecture rooms, annexes, LLT and the light-out archaeology museum but for now let us rescue room 38 and 39. That will depend on how much we raise at the end of the day.

We cannot force donations from the lecturers because it is a voluntary act. We’ve already contacted the contractor to work on Lpos and reimburse him when we eventually get the full money and he has agreed.
The concern students are having now is also in play among the lecturers. The fact is that let us take it step by step. The little we have done is just to give the faculty a facelift. If things work according to plan, everything should be sorted out by the end of the month”.

Speaking on the changes in Philosophy annex, the Sub-Dean adds that the faculty had received a generous offering by an individual to renovate the annex specifically. Attention on the main faculty was, however, in place with the accreditation board to come in November.