“I Just Don’t Understand” – Soyinka Reacts To Protest By Ife Indigenes Over New OAU VC

Professor Wole Soyinka has condemned the attitude and actions of some indigenes of Ife over the non-emergence of a native as the new Vice-Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU).

The Nobel Laureate made his mind known when he was asked for a reaction to the matter at the University of Pennsylvania, the United States where he spoke on a lecture titled, ‘The Politics of Black Intellection and Creativity.’

Soyinka who described the situation as crazy, wondered why there must be a Vice-Chancellor from Ife before the University can function.

He said, “An Ife person wrote me and say, look at these people disgracing us. I told him to go there and disgrace them. You are an Ife person. You should be in the front line.

“The Ife people should say those people don’t belong to us, we don’t know where they came from. And they should be dealt with ruthlessly. Why should there be an Ife VC anywhere? I just don’t understand what they put in the water these days. It is crazy.”

Naija News recalls some protesters had taken over the federal University, going about with fetish items and making other threats over the non-emergence of an Ife indigene as the new VC which they perceive as injustice.

The protesters rejected the appointment of Prof Adebayo Bamire, insisting rather that an Ife indigene should have been appointed.

Some videos which appeared online showed how the protesters on Monday blocked the gates of the school and prevented staff members from gaining access to the premises.