The embattled National President of the University of Ilorin Alumni Association, Dr Wale Fasakin, has provided details of the facts leading to the ongoing crisis rocking the Association, alleging that Vice Chancellor (VC), Prof. AbdulWahab Egbewole, is meddling and complicit.

Addressing newsmen in Ilorin recently, Fasakin said the Association was enjoying peace, patronage, and goodwill until 2021 when the VC decided to side with an illegal steering committee that gave rise to an estranged executive committee led by Prof. Jeleel Ojuade.

According to him, the crisis that has continued to rock the group has led to a court action, with case number KWS/66/2022 filed at the Ilorin High Court.

“The litigation was between the Association Executive Committee and the Caretaker/the past President and Prof. Egbewole (SAN), which appeared on account of his alleged complicity in the illegal and purported amendment of the Association Constitution and as the Chairman of an illegal and backdoor ‘Constitution Amendment Committee,'” he stated.

He recalled that Egbewole once invited the warring groups for dialogue only to align with another contesting faction.

“On his appointment as the new Vice Chancellor, Egbewole appealed to the Alumni body to withdraw litigation from the court, promising to attend to the matter in a way that justice would be seen to have been served.

“Consequently, the Vice Chancellor invited us, the Executive Committee, to a meeting with the Steering Committee as well as the Caretaker Committee.

“True to our suspicion that he would not be interested in serving justice, he pronounced that the democratically elected Executive Committee of the Association, headed by Dr Stephen Olawale Fasakin, should give up their tenure and join hands with the illegal Steering Committee and illegal Caretaker Committee to organize a so-called ‘Unity Congress’ in order to elect a new set of National Executive Committee.

“We objected to this proposition right at that meeting. Subsequently, the chairmen of a good number of the recognized chapters of the Alumni Association wrote an open protest letter to the Vice Chancellor objecting to his misguided proposal.

“Unfortunately, the VC remained adamant and continued on his fatal journey of truncating the tenure of the duly constituted Executive Committee. It was this kangaroo convention that produced Kilani and other impostors who are now parading themselves as the new Executive Committee,” he explained.

Consequently, the group called on the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU) to prevail on the VC to allow peace to reign in the renowned citadel of learning.

It also sought the intervention of the EFCC, ICPC, and other anti-graft agencies “in the financial crimes we have highlighted at the University of Ilorin.

“We also call on the NUC and the Ministry of Education to call the VC to order as his gross abuse of power in the instance of the Alumni is enough to trigger a robust investigation into his activities in our dear University,” he sought.

Aside from Fasakin, Mr. Yomi Olumuyide (National Vice President II), Prince Isaac Aderopo Ogunsade (National Treasurer), Yeye Bolanle Olatunde (National Publicity Secretary), Comrade Nesta Taiwo Oluwatoba (National Social Secretary), Mr. Benjamin Ampitan (National Auditor), and Dr. Lai Oparinde (National Assistant General Secretary) graced the press conference.

Reacting, Prof. Egbewole told newsmen that he was not bothered about the position of Fasakin, whom he described as too desperate.

He said, “Anybody can say whatever they like, but like The Guardian newspaper will say: ‘Conscience is an open wound that only the truth would heal. I know I have been truthful in the matter.”

He recalled several moves his management team made to resolve the lingering impasse in the Alumni Association, regretting that Dr Fasakin’s body language was not ready for a truce, having allegedly told him to steer away from interfering in the crisis.