(Wednesday 23rd October 2019 Issue)
Office
of the president of Law students Association (LAS) at the University of The
Gambia has condemned in the strongest terms the recent social media attacks
against Nigerian professors at the faculty of Law.
In
a media dispatch, the association without humor and with deep sense of utmost
dismay regrets the unfortunate occurrence of a show of sacrilege on the
academic qualifications of ‘our amiable professors’.
‘Our
interest as law students is to uphold the integrity which the legal profession
is known for by making our educational career progressive and enviable. The
Faculty of Law, University of The Gambia is our school and every stakeholder
has the right to express their grievances or constructively criticize or hold
accountable those holding public authority but in good faith and devoid of any
malice. Attacking anybody publicly from this Faculty without requisite facts
and evidence undermines the image of this faculty and thereupon questions its
integrity and honesty which we uphold. As a Legal Eagle in the shell, the LSA
encourages all students to desist from any act that may pinch and affect us
both legally, socially, morally and financially. The LSA Executive Body is not
and never involved in this disreputable act and condemned it in totality. We
enjoin all the stakeholders i.e., the general students’ body, Law Students’
Association(LSA) Executive and the Faculty Admin to cooperatively work together
to resolve whatever misunderstanding that may exist so as to avoid further
deterioration of the situation to the detriment of all stakeholders especially
the students’.
Faculty
of Law, the release added, is not known for conflict, it is the epicenter of
Peace, Dignity, Tolerance and Respect, which serve as one of the reasons why it
is both universally and municipally respected.
‘We
request all and sundry with differences to come to terms, bearing in mind human
rights standards, discriminatory statements against non-Gambians is highly
discouraged. It is our ardent belief that whosoever is behind this unfortunate
publication has not done so on behalf of the LSA and the high majority of the
students who look up to the LSA as its representative. The LSA promises to get
to the bottom of the matter to determine who is/are behind this unfortunate
publication in Freedom Newspaper’.
The
LSA therefore, dissociates itself from that impeachable publication. The LSA
Executive is continuously working on the genuine claims raised by students, one
reason why we met with the Dean, Faculty of Law on 8th October 2019, the LSA
Students on 9th October 2019 and University of The Gambia Admin on 10th
October, 2019. Consequently, the UTG Admin made some promises to that effect.
These promises are captured in the 10th October 2019 Resolution (Between UTG-SU
on behalf of all Sub-associations and the UTG Management) and signed by UTG-SU
President and UTG Vice Chancellor. Subsequent to this, the LSA appealed to all
students to be patient in response to this agreement and it is our view that
this publication is not a representative of the general students’ view.
‘We
crave the indulgence of any media personnel meddling with our integrity to
desist from tarnishing the image of our noble University especially the Faculty
of Law or at least verify the veracity of information received before
publishing them and we demand that the false information be deleted forthwith.
These professors are not fake! And by implication, when you term them as such
you are putting the integrity of the entire university into disrepute as they
have contributed immensely to its development. They are here through an
International Agreement between the Gambia and Nigeria. On a factum, the
Nigerian government is responsible for their remuneration. It is therefore
conclusive that, no other authority, person or group is a party to this
agreement and thus fumtus (lack capacity) to condemn, instigate, discriminate
or opine to this arrangement. The LSA wishes to invite all stakeholders in this
issue to diligently safeguard the integrity and the good name that the UTG
especially the Faculty of Law have earned itself over the years. Respect our friends
from other countries, including Nigerians and concentrate on providing
solutions to the challenges we may inevitably face’.
Finally,
the successes registered by the Faculty of Law of UTG in the past and continue
to make cannot be mentioned without recognizing the genuine contribution of
non-nationals especially Nigerians who continue to be a pillar of legal
education in the Gambia. Therefore, the professors that are defamatorily
attacked publicly by referring to them as ‘incompetent and fake lecturers are
respected all over Nigeria and beyond as they are prolific publishers and are
not incompetent or fake professors as accused.
They are here on a Technical Assistance basis agreed by the governments
of the two states and due prudence was made in their selection and selected
based on their intellectuality, competence and professionalism. The LSA on
behalf of all students including the LL.M students wishes to extend our
apologies to these professors and tender our solidarity in this unfortunate
situation.
