Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Professor Michael Faborode has challenged the nation’s civil and labour activists to ensure Governor Adams Oshiomhole does not fail in office.

Professor Faborode who spoke at the send off of one of the nation’s activist in the university system and book presentation on Professor Omotoye Olorode of the Botany Department of OAU said Oshiomhole’s victory in Edo State is a clarion call to civil societies and labour bodies to brace up for the challenge after the court judgment.

He warned the civil societies and labour leaders in the country not to allow one of their own to fail but tasked them to support Governor Oshiomhole to ensure he succeed, in governance of the state.
The VC also said there are a lot of lessons to be learnt from the victory of Barack Obama in the just concluded USA election arguing that years back, nobody ever thought it would happen in America for a black to win the presidential election.

According to him, Professor Olorode, aside his academic accomplishments, has also paid his dues in the struggle to emancipate the people, noting that he would be remembered by the masses.
The national committee for the celebration of Olorode through Professor Oladipo Salami said unlike some of his colleagues who are easily demobilized by fear of loss of job and other perquisites of office that the system could offer, the retired Professor has remained consistent in his determination to work and live for the people.

Professor Salami disclosed that during the military dictatorship of Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Sani Abacha, when academic staff were humiliated, Olorode was among the few people at the barricades, fighting for the enthronement of popular democracy in the country.
In his remark, Professor Olorode recalled the numerous struggles such as protest to chase away the military, June 12, Ken Saro-Wiwa saga, UNILORIN 49 sack, support for students against fee hike in universities and joining the several protests by NLC to press for better welfare, which he said was meant to better the lot of the masses.

Professor Olorode decried the commercialization and privatization of university education by the Federal Government based on advice of the IMF and World Bank aimed at denying the masses access to tertiary education and condemned the former President Olusegun Obasanjo for endorsing the sack of the 49 University of Ilorin lecturers.

He made a passionate appeal to the VC of OAU to consider and recall some students that were rusticated for their role in the June 12 struggle and other protest, over 10 years ago while noting that those who claimed to be democrate went into hiding during the military onslaught.
According to him, the students including the rusticated one played a prominent role in the June 12 struggle and Ken Saro-Wiwa crisis and have been abandoned “Give these students unconditional reprieve. If this is going to be my last request for them. My dear VC, I am begging you on behalf of the students,” he pleaded.