Following the face-off between the Vice Chancellor of Federal University Lokoja (FUL), Professor Angela Freeman Miri and the host community over the alleged lopsidedness in the recent recruitment of junior staff cadres by the management of the institution, a renowned activist, Hon Oladipo Makakese Bayode has concluded plan to hold roundtable discussion with the youths as a way of finding lasting solution to the crisis.
Bayode, in a statement made available to journalists in Lokoja, stressed the need for the host communities particularly the youth population to support the continuous development of the University.
Hon Bayode, who is also the Executive Director of the Nigeria Education Assessment and Merit Center, noted that the place of the University in the overall manpower development of Kogi state cannot be overemphasized and the state capital we must be seen to support it development and overall peace if we must maximize the benefit attached to the location of the University in Lokoja.
According to the statement, the proposed roundtable discussion is aimed at boosting understanding and analyzing the grievances of the host communities particularly on the recent massive employment of staffers as a result of the introduction of new academic programmes by the present management of the University.
The statement also assured all stakeholders that the session will come up with workable peace pact and lay foundation for partnership between the people of the host communities and the University.
It restated the need for the host communities to take the centre stage on issues that concerns the University as one of the main critical stakeholders on whose land the University is situated.
The statement, however, condemned the recent face-off and use of hate speech during the period that is capable of causing disaffection amongst the league of stakeholders of the University.
“A University is a decent environment whose peace and tranquility we must assiduously stand up for at all times,” it added.
