Unilorin alumni crisis deepens as faction heads to court

A faction of the University of Ilorin Alumni Association has approached a Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin, challenging the election of the Prof. Kilani AbdulRazak-led faction.

Eight chapter chairmen of the association on Thursday asked the State High Court to nullify the 2024 election that produced Prof. AbdulRazak and his executive members.

Recall that the association has, in the last four years, been bogged down by a leadership crisis that led to its factionalisation.

The chapters challenging the current exco include Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Kogi, Rivers, and Abuja.

Prof. AbdulRazak, at an award night shortly after last year’s convocation ceremonies of the institution, claimed that the crisis had been resolved.

Also, earlier this year, the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the alumni association promised to join forces with the university’s Governing Council to end the association’s leadership tussle.

The BoT therefore urged a ceasefire by the warring factions of the alumni association.

BoT Chair Mrs. Cecilia expressed dissatisfaction over the rift in the national alumni association and the resultant negative effect on the image of the university community and the association itself.

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“For the purpose of a permanent resolution to the conflict between the opposing parties, the board hereby issues a ceasefire to them, particularly on online platforms, pages of newspapers, and any other platforms that may warrant,” Cook said.

When the case came up on Friday, the applicants’ counsel Afeez Adebayo told the court that Prof. AbdulRazak and others have been avoiding being served originating processes.

He therefore urged the court to allow him to serve the respondents the originating processes “via substituted service by way of pasting the processes in a conspicuous place on the UNILORIN Alumni Association Secretariat.”

“We have not been able to serve them (respondents) the originating processes,” he hinted, telling the court that the application was supported with a 12-paragraph affidavit.

Judge H. I. Gegele granted the application, saying: “Having found the application meritorious, the application is hereby granted.”