No fewer than 500 members of Nsukka Youth Association on Friday staged a peaceful protest to demand for the removal of Prof. Barth Okolo, as Vice Chancellor, University of Nigeria Nsukka
The protesters, who urged the Federal Government to remove the vice chancellor for alleged corruption, demanded the reinstatement of Mr Emeka Enejere, the removed chairman of the University Governing Council.
The protesters carried placards with inscription such as “Nsukka land has rejected Okolo,” “Vice Chancellor is corrupt”, “Okolo is hostile to the people of Nsukka’’, “Okolo must go for peace to reign in UNN and Nsukka.
“Nsukka people want Federal Government to reinstate Enjere as UNN governing council chairman”, “We will continue this protest until the vice chancellor is removed”.
The President of the association, Mr Victor Ezeugewu, told newsmen that they embarked on the protest to let Federal Government know that the people of Nsukka, including the youth were no longer comfortable with Okolo as UNN vice chancellor.
“Since the inception of the administration of Okolo, the people of Nsukka have been subjected to endless suffering.
“No employment for Nsukka people and no appointment, no consideration for Nsukka people as host community during admission as it is done in other places.
“The government should remove Okolo to enable peace to reign in UNN,’’ Ezeugewu said.
Ezeugewu said that if the vice chancellor was doing well workers in the institution, the community would not stage a protest calling for his removal.
“UNN workers and Nsukka people knew that it was the vice chancellor that influenced the suspension of Enejere as chairman of the governing council.
“If UNN workers and Nsukka people the host community have rejected Okolo, then government should not hesitate in removing him before the university collapse.
“President Goodluck Jonathan should in the interest of peace intervene by removing the vice chancellor in order to restore normalcy in UNN,” he said.
The president also urged the Federal Government to reinstate Enejere as chairman of the institution’s governing council.
