By: IndyPress News Desk
Professor Niyi Osundare, a celebrated poet and literary critic, expressed outrage over the University of Ibadan management’s approval of Heritage Park and Gardens’ demolition, a decision made under the leadership of Professor Kayode Adebowale, with the site now lying in ruins.
Professor Osundare revealed his displeasure in an exclusive interview with NASELS Press, following a day-long program co-hosted by the Niyi Osundare International Poetry Festival and the Department of English, held in Room 32, Faculty of Arts.
In the 4-minutes 41-seconds exclusive news report, Professor Osundare accused the university management of “murdering” the trees once situated at the park, while criticizing the decision of the ‘human scholars’ who approved and supervised the cutting of the trees.
Recall that IndyPress reported that trees (averagely 100) were felled at the popular site known as Heritage Park, opposite Queens Elizabeth II Hall of Residence, University of Ibadan. The act drew several rebukes against the University authorities, who through a self-initiated correspondence by former Vice-chancellor, Professor Idowu Olayinka, noted that the depletion was necessitated because of a proposed Senate building.
In the exclusive interview, Professor Niyi Osundare noted that the decision to cut the trees was disheartening and embarrassing.
“It is an embarrassment and disheartening development,” Professor Osundare remarked.
“That is one of the most beautiful parts of campus. The way it stood between Queens Hall and Alumni Center. I used to stop, walk up and down, with the trees surrounding me. Which people took this decision? Now they have reduced the place to a desert,” Professor Osundare said.
“They want to put a building there. Is that the only plot the University has? How can scholars, humanist scholars take that kind of decision? They killed the trees, murdered them,” the Professor added
“For a long time I will be avoiding that place. I don’t know what golden building they are going to put there. Whatever building they are going to put there, that building will be standing on a cemetery. The University should not behave like this because what is the beauty of our education if we cannot protect our environment,” Professor Osundare commented.
One of such many rebukes featured in a November 28 2024 publication by Tribune Newspaper, which reported that Rosalie-Ann Modder Oyefeso of ‘The Save Our Green Spaces Group’ commented that “the destruction of the Heritage Park and Gardens is a stark reminder that true enlightenment is sorely lacking in the university’s leadership.”
Tribune Newspaper in the same report and in a chat with Professor Labode Popoola, who is credited to have conceptualised and designed the garden, reported the conceiver’s disappointment in the face of the issue.
“Today will pass as one of the saddest days in my over 40 years sojourn at the University of Ibadan. I do not, however, blame the powers that be who did the unimaginable. I blame those who should have led the protest against this heist but chose to keep a deafening silence for reasons they will forever live to regret!” Professor Labode reportedly said.
Despite that the act of cutting down the trees generated concerns, weeks have gone by without the University management officially responding to the public.
