I am not after Mr. Ifemosu Michael Adewale: Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta

PROTOCOL

INTRODUCTION
The attention of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) has been drawn to the character assassination and blackmail in various publications on the social media by one Ifemosu Michael Adewale against the person of Professor Felix Kolawole Salako, the Vice-Chancellor. The various publications of this individual relating to the University have been variously in online media like Facebook, Twitter, Sahara Reporters, YouTube etc. The University responded once through a Press Conference in 2019 to protect its image. This was a publication which claimed that the University Management compelled students to sign an undertaking that if they were robbed, they must not complain. Sahara Reporters published this. As illogical as this claim was, we devoted time to tell the world that the alleged robbery cases did not even take place on our campus. Besides, the alleged victim consciously chose to live in isolated areas in private hostels with obvious display of opulence. Some were found then with illicit substances in their private hostels. Many were no more or were not our students. Any other reactions to publications by Ifemosu and Co. came from students. The Vice-Chancellor could not and cannot spare time responding to frivolous claims and conscious blackmailing.

Besides, Ifemosu Michael Adewale subsequently took the University to court and we thought this would make this social media propaganda stop. At least, for the purpose of respecting the Court as an impartial arbiter. No, he did not stop even when February 24, 2020 was fixed for the first hearing, which did not hold. Ifemosu continued with his attacks, this time ferociously on the Vice-Chancellor before and after that date.

This Press Conference is predicated on a publication and a video interview which went viral on various social media on Tuesday March 17, 2020 in which Ifemosu Michael Adewale claimed that Professor Felix Kolawole Salako sent hired assassins to kill him. The University and the Vice-Chancellor have had enough. He also stated that before the incidence, he had received a lot of threatening calls through private lines aimed at silencing him.

Mr. Ifemosu is a former student of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.  He was expelled recently by the University, having been found guilty of gross misconduct. I wish to state unequivocally that I, as a Vice-Chancellor, a father and a God-fearing human being, have no reason whatsoever to send assassins to Mr. Ifemosu who I do not know personally till now, and have never met in my life. I have only been seeing pictures of him on social media. After Mr. Ifemosu’s expulsion, he decided to exercise his rights by approaching the court. The University has no problem with that as he has every right to seek redress.  I am not after Mr. Ifemosu or anybody and will never be.  The general public and all our stakeholders may wish to note that emerging facts indicate that what Mr. Ifemosu referred to as an assassination attempt orchestrated by Prof Salako a Vice-Chancellor has also been reported as a robbery incident which took place in Apakila Camp area of Abeokuta on March,17, 2020 at about 1:23 am. Ifemosu even claimed in his publication that he was not around but relied on hearsay to make this grievous allegation against Professor Felix Kolawole Salako

Obviously too, Ifemosu claiming to be the State Secretary of the African Action Congress  (AAC) Party is riding on the wheels of Sahara Reporters to malign the image of the Vice-Chancellor in particular and the University at large.

Blinded by the spirit of “revolution”, Ifemosu had launched a series of attacks on the Vice-Chancellor through his twitter handle, @ifemosumichael, with the aim of rocking the peaceful boat of FUNAAB

So I ask “What does Sahara Reporters want from FUNAAB?”

On October 11, 2019, Sahara Reporters Published an article on social Media tagged MANAGEMENT BANS FUNAAB STUDENTS FROM PROTESTING AFTER ROBBERS INVADE HOSTELS THREE TIMES IN ONE WEEK.

To debunk the above allegation, the University Management responded by calling the attention of the general public to the fact that the publication was coming on the heels of the two earlier ones released through the social media by sources closely related to Sahara Reporters that were targeted at undermining the security, peaceful co-existence of the University and making attempts to incite the student populace against the University Management. 

As bad as they may appear to be, FUNAAB and the Vice-Chancellor has endured series of character assassinations launched against the name of the university and the Vice-Chancellor with so many myriads of publications which can be found in the under listed links:

Story by Sahara Reporters is FALSE!

4 Notorious Universities Your Child Should Never Attend, No 3 Is Shocking

NANS S/W Deputy Coordinator, Ogun Vice Chairman, Robbery victim and other witnesses reports robbery case to police station, calls for proper investigation

Responses to Other Allegations

Ifemosu Michael Adewale was a 200 L student, Male, whose age is 31 years. He changed his course to remain at 200 L and his academic records are not fantastic. It is important to respond to a few of his other allegations

Bus fare remained ten naira from 2010 to May 2019. Even the upward review was pegged at twenty naira (N20) in May 2019, in deference to the request of the Student Union after about three meetings. Let us juxtapose the fare with inflationary trends in our country, and ask logically how 21 available buses are being maintained. In 2019, our loss was 20% in spite of fare increase

Let it be known that there is hardly any University in the South-West which is providing official transport system for students. Ifemosu attended a tertiary institution, close-by, before he was admitted into our University. Official transportation is not provided there and his voice was not heard as a student there for provision of official transport system.

Conclusion

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Felix Kolawole SALAKO has found the allegation of assassination attempt allegedly instigated by him according to Ifemosu Michael Adewale very traumatic as an academic, father and a community development individual. Our University came out from a stage of instability when he emerged as a Vice-Chancellor in November 2017.  He set out on a mission to re-energize the University, bringing all stakeholders to live in harmony. Dialogue with students to find solutions to problems has been branded as ‘docility of students of FUNAAB”. Our students are not docile.

Other stakeholders are also usually engaged in dialogue to solve problems. However, we have noted that Ifemosu may be acting a script bigger than him, in view of recent happenings on our campus. The Vice-Chancellor wishes to state that his allegation may be a prelude to a sinister action to be unleashed on the Vice-Chancellor by him and his cohorts. We take cognizance of the recent campaign for funding by his group. This matter has been reported to appropriate law-enforcement agencies.

Thank you and God bless.

Professor Felix Kolawole SALAKO, FSSSN
Vice-Chancellor
Federal University of Agriculture
Abeokuta, Nigeria