Crescent University breaks silence over alleged denial of parents, maltreatment of Ogun journalist during convocation

The management of Crescent University, Abeokuta, on Sunday said that none of the bonafide parent of its students was denied access to the venue of its 11 convocation, which took place on Saturday.

It was gathered that a female journalist reporting for the Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation (OGBC), Abeokuta, was alleged to have been beaten by some angry parents during the 11th convocation ceremony of Crescent University.

It was learnt that crisis ensued when the journalist, Jumoke Onafowora, struggled with the parents to gain access into the convocation hall to perform her official duty.

Onafowora, who was a member of Ogun Deputy Governor’s Press Crew, was allegedly attacked as the unhappy parents tore her clothes; protesting their inability to enter a hall where their children were being convocated.

But, the institution while reacting said that none of the bonafide parent of its students was denied access to the venue of the convocation.

The institution said that those who disguised as parents and were allegedly denied access to the venue were either gatecrashers or those who were looking for help from dignitaries.

Public Relations Officer of the institution, Mr. Idris Katib, in a statement on Sunday, said that those who raised the allegations; the supposed parents and Onafowora arrived the Bola Ajibola Auditorium venue of the convocation about two hours behind deadline set for graduands and guests to have seated.

“Both the alleged parents and the Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation (OGBC) reporter Jumoke Onafowora arrived the Bola Ajibola Auditorium venue of the convocation about two hours behind deadline set for graduands and guests to have seated.

“All over the world, universities have rules and regulations guiding their ceremonies especially on punctuality, timeliness and conduct. Crescent University is not an exception in this academic culture.

“All students, parents and their guests had earlier been notified that they must be seated by 9.30 a.m. before the procession of the university chancellor at 10 a.m.

“We are appalled that the journalist in question, had, according to the report, struggled with ‘the parents’ to gain access into the convocation hall around midday, more than two hours after the deadline, whereas an alternative comfortable 500 seater Marquee under which there were large screen TV monitors projecting the programme had been adequately provided for those who arrived late.”

“Since our vision was not only academic but with moral rectitude, no guest, including the journalist in question could have been allowed by the security staff after procession of the chancellor and even representative of the governor had been seated and the programme was already halfway.

“Preliminary investigations have revealed that no bona-fide parent was involved and that the people with which the aforementioned journalist had a brawl were most likely to be gate-crashers, touts and miscreants disguised as parents since important ceremonies are usually besieged by such people to beg for money and curry favour with dignitaries.”.