AbdulAhad Otuoze
The Kogi Women Network for Democratic Change and Good Governance (KWNDCGG) has condemned the perpetrators of the attack on the persons and image of the former Vice Chancellor Federal University Lokoj Professor Angela Freeman Miri as a collective attack on womenfolk which should be resisted.
Some staff of the instituion had on last week Friday pasted mock obituary poster of the former Vice Chancellor in the campus as they marched carrying placard to mark the end of the vice chancellor’s tenure.
In a press release signed by the National Coordinator of the Association Hajia Ramatu Muhammed and made available to Journalists in Lokoja on Monday berated the few individuals within the university community who came out shamelessly and childishly to embarrass the entire university community with their ill-motivated protest.
The group lamented that those in the Ivory tower that should be cultured abandoned decency, decorum and civilized way of life and embark on shameful, disgraceful and degrading protest carried out last Saturday.
This is as the Association has called on the law enforcement agencies to wade into the matter to unravel those behind the despicable act.
The National Coordinator insisted that the few individuals have been behind all sorts of wicked publications mounted in the last three and half years to cause serious disaffection in the institution especially between the outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Prof. (Mrs.) Angela Freeman Miri and the rest of the staff.
According to her, it should be noted that these few individuals had been the evil brain behind various skirmishes between the university community and the host communities in the past.
” They lied about and raised false alarms as well as sowed the seed of discord everywhere in order to create tension and chaos in the university. Prof. Miri, on several occasions was accused of financial recklessness, corruption, nepotism and embezzlement which they could not substantiate.
” They never had the audacity and the facts to prosecute her in a law court or any of the anti-corruption bodies. What did she embezzle? No funds came to her account. Most of the projects executed are TETfund funded projects which she worked hard to attract to the University and the contractors were not recruited by her. The work done are there for all to see.
“These enemies of progress did everything within their power and imagination to pull her down, but God did not allow them to have their selfish way. The only thing they felt they could do was to place an obituary of the woman who is hale and hearty. Everyone that had input in the obituary saga has no fear of God as they wanted her dead, Haba! This is wicked of them and they have belittled themselves and made the university a laughing stock of the Nigerian society.
” They have done what ordinary illiterates wouldn’t have done. What a shame, and in Yoruba parlance, if people announce anyone dead when in actual sense he or she is alive, it simply means he or she will live long and in fact outlive his or her detractors. For Prof. Miri, it is a sign of long life for her.” She opined.
Hajia Muhammed alleged that the reasons for her being treated like a leper was because she refused to share money as they were used to in the past and because she is just too thorough with her work adding that her feminism was used to derogate and launched all sorts of unprintable wars against her.
The National Coordinator said just as the former VC stood against the marginalisation of women, her Association will continue the fight until the dignity and rights of women are respected.
She lamented at Some individuals who were seen in the viral video was nothing more than a demonstration of hatred for women folks, which is condemnable adding that the hate speech promoted by section of the FUL community is being frown at by her group.
In her words ” The president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari should continue to recognise women as we stand for equity, justice and fairness in discharge of our duties. Kudos must be given to Governor Yahaya Bello for giving women prominent positions in the state in the area of appointments and empowerment.
” Students and over ninety percent of the staff will agree with this Association that Prof. Angela Miri did her very best for the institution in term of judicious funding of teaching, research, physical development and staff welfare within the limited resources made available to her by the government.
“In her five years tenure in the university, Prof. Miri received over 35 awards and commendation letters within and outside the university in recognitions of her outstanding contributions towards the physical, academic and moral developments of the Federal University Lokoja.
“Most of these awards were given to her at the tail end of her tenure in office; then, why this sudden rascality from a tiny group that has resorted to using thugs and criminals to protest on their behalf” she wondered.
However, the Association said her consolation for Prof. Angela Freeman Miri is that she has done her very best for the university community, with several developmental strides to her credit , stressing that her reputation as a former commissioner for Health, and later Education in Plateau State, Chairperson of the Governing Council of Plateau State Polytechnic, Barkin Ladi, and member of some State Tertiary Institutions’ Visitation Panels could not be wished away.
While welcoming new vice-chancellor Prof. Olayemi Durotimi Akinwumi to the university, counsel him to be wary of some people who have constituted themselves into a clog in the wheels of progress of the university.
End.
