By Dr. Wole Balogun
S.A Media to VC
The Social media was recently awash with reports alleging several acts of misconduct allegedly perpetrated during the tenure of former Vice-Chancellor, Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) Prof. Kayode Soremekun. The allegations contained in the report also featured references purportedly drawn from a certain government panel report on some Nigerian Universities.
What is curious on this strange development about the government panel report is the fact that while there are several public varsities in Nigeria it gave findings about, FUOYE has arguably been the only University the enemies of progress picked for media attack and brazen yellow journalism.
For us in FUOYE, the media attack is a familiar terrain which we have threaded and triumphed. We have traveled this path before: it has always been the usual shenanigans spreading bile against an upwardly mobile University that was recently garlanded as Nigeria’s third most subscribed University by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB). An uncommon feat attributable to the uncommon academic standard and infrastructural development paving way for unrivaled academic excellence that has attracted uncommon laurels for students, astute scholars/lecturers and also non-teaching members of staff.
Indeed, the sagely saying: “Success attracts envy, jealousy and even enemity” is apt in the case of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti. The higher the University climbs the ladder of greatness, the more her enemies are hurt and spread bile against her!.
The foregoing reality explains the recent media attack on the University by those who have been severely injured by her steady progress, growth and development in all ramifications.
The report entitled: “Panel Report on Nigerian Federal University Oye-Ekiti Uncovers Alleged Mismanagement” , is replete with inaccurate and deliberate misrepresentations of what is contained in the government report on FUOYE between 2016 and 2021. This piece will therefore put the records straight.
First of all, the said media reports on allegations of victimization of staff members, naming Dr Akinyemi Omonijo, Dr Niyi Akingbe, and Dr Olugbenga E. Adeyemi as victims, was not substantiated. So also, is the claim by the report that: “There were cases of victimisation, suspension and/or dismissal of staff without recourse to the laid down disciplinary procedures in the conditions of service,” grossly baseless and unfounded. No evidence cited in the report proved the foregoing allegations to be true.
Another twisted content of the report reads in part:, “There was a lot of opacity in the manner in which the finances of the University were managed. There were allegations of diversion of IGR resources, non-remittance of responsibility allowances to deserving officers, and the use of accounts in commercial banks instead of the TSA. The council is currently investigating these matters.”.
It is a pity that the sponsors of the Yellow journalism displayed via the news platform that published the foregoing allegations, failed to cite specific instances, account numbers, names of the signatories to those purported accounts among others as incontrovertible evidence to substantiate the allegations so that every discerning mind would be pleased.
Perhaps, the most pathetic of the falsehood and bile spread on the social media by these enemies of progress was the citing of Prof. Tajudeen B Opoola and Mr. Godwin Elabor as examples of staff members irregularly employed. Not only were these two gentlemen eminently qualified for the positions for which they were employed but they have also performed excellently well and added great value to the system. Mr. Elabor, who spoke to this writer in response to the allegation that he only had HND at the time he was appointed as Chief Store Officer, dismissed the allegation as folkish and unfounded. His words: “When I joined FUOYE in 2016…I had HND Business Administration from Yabatech, Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing and MBA from Ambrose Alli University, 2004 respectively.
“A petition was written against me then and I was invited to ICPC in Abuja on this issue and I was cleared that, with my HND, I was qualified as the Chief Store Officer in FUOYE; with my experience of 23 years in service with then National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) now Ikeja Electric Distribution company where I left as Head Commercial services, level 13; The letter of employment I received from FUOYE was in proper accordance;The letter of regularisation I received was also in accordance; The letter of Confirmation which I received, that was approved by Council, was also in accordance. As at today, I have additional qualification….Bsc Business Administration .”
The situation is the same with Prof. Opoola, and according to him, the proper records are there in rhe University archives with respect to his positive external assessments Reports from External Assessors that validated his appointment into the University in 2017 with Ph.D of the year 2000 (17 years) from the University of Calabar. Opoola was externally and rigorously assessed four times instead of three, first as Senior Lecturer with positive report and second as Reader by another set of three External Assessors before the legitimate Regularization of appointment which was misconstrued for PROMOTION by enemies of progress. What a pity. The then University advertisement that brought him in says, “Applicants must have teaching and research experience in higher Institutions of learning. “. Prof. Opoola’s entry into FUOYE has added enviable values to the system in no small ways having successfully served as Head of Linguistics Department and Dean, Faculty of Arts, for five years and presently as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC) Administration. This officer’s transfer of 25 years unbroken service was accepted by FUOYE’s Governing Council. The enemies of progress collated names of those perceived as enemies to be destroyed with misinformation without advising the panel to invite such people for their defence.
Contrary to falsehood sold to the public about the procedure followed by the Prof. Soremekun led management in appointing Prof. Opoola and Mr. Elabor, the updated records of the University validate their appointment then and now.
Besides, the current administration of Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina has repositioned the system in such a way that many things left uncompleted due to certain administrative bottlenecks during his immediate predecessor’s era, have been properly fixed . We can cite several instances here, there has been significant reviews in the University policy paving way for progressive adjustments in crucial areas of promotion, staff welfare and assess to many other incentives. The reviews have also taken care of several bottlenecks often misunderstood to be irregularities. The introduction of digital system in keeping records and online teaching to augment physical classes has equally solved myriad of problems. Just last Wednesday, November 13, 2024, Prof Fasina was lauded by the staff for a free and fair congregation election to various University committees and governing council. Prof. Fasina’s administration has added over 90 additional infrastructure to the admirable achievements of Prof. Soremekun. And there is also the giant FUOYE outreaches in form of part time programmes, sandwich, Business School and staff school that are currently boosting the economy of various communities in Ekiti State.. The former University Governing Council led by Dr. M. Lawal Yakuza, did a forensic Audit of the finances of the University Account using External Auditing Firm and Consultant. The report is available in the University. This is in addition to staff audit done at the same time.
FUOYE is currently on a roller coastal regarding progress, growth and development!. The enemies failed to talk about the foregoing breakthroughs because it hurts them. They are giddy because of the outcome of the case in court.
Unfortunately for the naysayers, there were giant strides of excellence achieved gallantly by the Prof. Soremekun’s led administration which were of course, possible with the staunch support given by the incumbent VC who was Prof. Sorememkun’s DVC, Administration during the era in focus. Such milestones were eulogized on many occasions by both staff and students of the University. This writer then wrote a piece that capture most of the laudable achievements and l bring a part of that piece here for the relish of readers.
Legendary Aare Afe Babalola amazes many of us newsmen on each occasion he tells us the story of his selfless service leading to the timeless legacies God used him to achieve when he served Nigeria and humanity as the Pro-Chancellor of the prestigious University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos. Indeed, those legacies of a man as eminent as Afe Babalola will forever dot the beautiful landscape of the enviable Ivory Tower in Lagos same way Professor Kayode Soremekun’s legacies of administrative prowess and patriotic service will dot the adorable landscape of the twin campuses of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti i.e Oye and Ikole campuses in both Oye and Ikole Local Government areas of Ekiti State.
Soremekun, a humanist of much younger breed when compared to Babalola has immensely convinced humanity that so much could be achieved within a short time given the desire for a purpose driven, selflessly determined patriotic leadership. Supported by his hard working Management team and a host of other directors, he displayed this rare feat with his laudable and highly commendable achievements as Vice-Chancellor, FUOYE, for almost five years now.
For the records, FUOYE had five faculties offering 30 academic programmes in 2016 when Soremekun came on board. But by the time the school had her 20/21 Virtual matriculation ceremony for fresh students on July 28, 2020, the University already had the number of faculties shot up to 11 with 75 academic programmes!. Not only that all these programmes are fully accredited, the recent additions are not mere academic courses, they included programmes in faculties of Law, Pharmacy, Basic Medical Sciences, and Environmental Studies among others.
Prof. Soremekun has not just succeeded in ensuring a rapid growth in terms of academic programmes, he is perfecting the amazing success with proportional growth in infrastructural development. Since 2016 till date, Soremekun’s administration has completed over seventy projects that include the utra-modern faculty of Pharmacy building, ultra-modern faculty of Agriculture, the well equipped media studio facility for students of Mass Communication, the ultra-modern faculty of Basic sciences, faculty of Management sciences complex and academic building for the faculty of Environmental Studies among others.
Indeed, the enviable University administrator’s achievements in the aforementioned areas has engendered further commendable achievements in other relevant areas and these include the number of students which has risen from over 7,000 in 2016 to well over 24,000 currently!
Of course as we all know, more faculties translate to more departments which in turn mean more learning facilities as well as more students, lecturers and administration staff members, etc. So, the positive multiple effects is that Soremekun has provided many more jobs for Nigerians with admirable performance as FUOYE VC.
As the Vice Chancellor recalled, there were over 70 projects already completed, of which some were inherited as abandoned projects of his predecessors, while many others were started and already completed by his current administration.
When the new Chairman of FUOYE Governing Council, Dr. Mohammed Yahuza went with the management team on an inspection of projects recently, he was awed with outstanding infrastructural projects that dotted the landscape of the twin campuses in Oye and Ikole.
An excited Yahuza told newsmen: “My immediate impression about the infrastructural project in FUOYE is splendid. I am very impressed with what I have seen, particularly the infrastructure and also the huge efforts that have been put in place by the management to utilize resources to complete these many infrastructural projects. This highly commendable.
”I have also seen the cordial relationship that exists between the Vice-Chancellor and Management team, especially the way the management team have supported the VC to achieve this laudable feat. This shows that there is harmony between them. Such is very rare in an administrative environment, so I am very impressed.
”From what I have seen here, what the former Governing Council and Management have done to bring up these huge infrastructure, I am very optimistic that in the next four years, this University will be among the first generation varsities in the country.”
A shining highlight of the Prof. Soremekun’s administration is the presentation of honoris causa to well deserving individuals without any material gain for the University. These included Guy Garguilo, the white man who dedicated donkey years of his life to develop Nigerian kids and youths as a school principal, the 83-year-old Islamic Cleric who saved Christians from a rampaging mob, Imam Abubakar Abdullahi and the now late Pa Francis Adebayo Daramola, whose dedication and commitment as a teacher was exemplary. Prof. Fasina continued the tradition of awards to deserving individuals with the award of honoris causa to Segun Odegbami , Nigeria’s legendary soccer star.
*Dr Balogun is the S.A Media to the Vice Chancellor FUOYE
