As members of academic and non-academic staff of Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED), await the verdict of the institution’s governing council on nine principal officers accused of misappropriation of fund, union leaders have urged the council to be unbiased in deciding the case.
The affected officers were allegedly involved in the mismanagement of N1.5b, victimisation of members of staff and also said to be administratively incompetent. All these led to series of industrial disputes in the school as well as bred and disunity among staff members.
However, following agitations and protest by various unions Governor of Lagos State and proprietor of the college, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, inaugurated a new governing council to help address the knotty issues.
Thereafter, the new council set up a disciplinary committee to investigate all the allegations and issues in contention. The panel afterwards sent all the indicted officers on compulsory leave. This development subsequently brought disputes to a halt.
But, while the college awaits the report of the disciplinary committee, there are strong indications that council members are being pressurised by some prominent personalities to shield some of the affected officers from punishment.
Confirming this to The Guardian, Chairman, Senior Staff Union in Colleges of Education in Nigeria (SSUCOEN), Comrade Wunmi Ombugadu, said it has also come to the knowledge of the union that the indicted persons were using some highly placed people in the state to influence the panel’s recommendations on the matter.
“On receiving this information, we wrote to Governor Ambode to wade into the matter and prevent the governing council from being lured to cover up the indicted principal officers. And so we are pleading with the council not to give in to such unhealthy demands.
“Our great union believes in consistency and equality in justice. The council must be seen to be objective and unbiased while we anxiously await it’s pronouncements. Any observed or attempt to cover up as a result of the obvious internal and external pressure will be resisted spontaneously. We pray that the integrity of our governing council would not be tarnished.”
South West Zonal Chairman and member National Executive Council (NEC) of SSUCOEN, Comrade Lere Oladapo, who decried that his members are being marginalised at the college, charged the council to urgently implement the report of the disciplinary committee accordingly. “If they are found to be guilty objectively, I see no reason why the council will hesitate to implement whatever sanctions are leveled against them.”
Also, Chairman, Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union, (COEASU), Comrade Michael Avosetinyen, who noted that the council is an independent body comprising men of integrity, said, “In as much as we do not need to preempt their (governing council) decision, they should know that there are guiding rules and regulations that dictate what goes on in the college. The whole world is watching and I believe there are conditions of service to guide them.”
Secretary, Joint Action Front (JAF), Comrade Abiodun Aremu, who also spoke to The Guardian on the issue, urged the council to expedite necessary actions on the matter, as “any delay is suggestive of attempts to sweep the matter under the carpet. We lend our voice to demand that the report should be implemented and everything should be done within the quickest possible time because justice delayed is justice denied.”
Meanwhile, the college’s spokesperson, Mr. Adebowale Odunayo, has assured that members of the council are upright men who cannot be influenced or intimidated. “The process may be slow, but the report will definitely be out. What the council is doing is to ensure the exercise is thorough.”
