.. As Student Affairs Division holds safety and security summit

By Bolaji Awoyale & Williams Covenant

The Vice Chancellor, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria, Professor Igbekele Ajibefun, on Wednesday last week, charged the staff and students of the University to be security conscious.

AAUA-main-gate

Professor Ajibefun, who was represented by the Dean of Faculty of Agriculture, Professor Emmanuel Gbadamosi, gave this charge while delivering the opening remark at a One-Day Summit themed, Safety and Security: Challenges and Solutions, organized for all students by the Student Affairs Division of the University at the Institution’s Multi-Purpose Hall. He said, “It is very important for the students and staff of the University to be security conscious and report any act of rights violation, or criminality.

It is one way to keep the University Community safe and secure. It is also desirable that staff and students report all cases of security threat and breach in the interest of all. ‘’ The VC, who said the University pays high premium on safety and security, commended the Student Affairs Division for organizing the Security and Safety Summit, describing the initiative as a proactive approach to effective security and safety management.

The VC also thanked the Division for adopting a holistic method by assembling experts from diverse areas of security management to address security and safety issues. Security experts from the Police, Department of State Service, private security agencies, higher education security outfits, Safety and Fire Service, the Road Safety Corps, spoke to students on the diverse safety and security perspectives.

In his Address of Welcome, the Acting Dean of Student Affairs, Dr. Bolanle Ogungbamila, said Adekunle Ajasin University is one of the most student-focused and student-friendly universities in Nigeria.

He said, “Our University is one of the most student-focused and student-friendly universities in Nigeria. We are not only concerned about the academic wellbeing of our students, but also with how safe and secure they are in and around the University. This is because without safety and security, the University environment may not be conducive for research, learning and living. Safety and security emanate from, and are directed towards the same goal.

“We may not be able to physically secure and make every student safe; but we, as a University, are highly concerned about the safety and security of all our students. The importance of this programme is underscored by the fact that students, at the point of admission into the University, would have a relatively familiar, safe and secure home environment for relatively new and challenging environment (the University).

Therefore, the security and safety tips got from the home environment may not be enough to navigate the peculiar security and safety challenges thrown up by the University environment, especially for students who are stepping out of their familiar environment for the first time.”

Panelists at the Summit were Representative of the State Director of Security Services, Akure, Mr. Bayo Fasasi; Marketing Controller-Africa, KFT Solar & Security Equipment Ltd., Mr. Tayo Fabuluje; Divisional Police Officer, (DPO), Akungba Akoko, Mr. Femi Joseph Femi; Coordinator, Sheriff Deputies Security, AAUA, Mr. Ganiyu A. Aliu; Representative of the Director, Health Services, Dr. A. O. Adejoro; Representative of the Chief Superintendent, Fire and Safety Unit, Mr. Odumayomi; Representative of the Unit Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Ikare, Mr. Omidiji; Chairman, Akungba Development Union, Dr. L. O. Ekundayo; and the University’s Chief Security Officer, Mr. Remi Adesuyi.