r sometime
now, there has been palpable tension at the College of Education,
Agbor, owing to what an informed inside source said was the subtle attempt by
some persons to truncate due process in the appointment of a new provost for
the institution. The subterranean move by a well known political figure in the
state, to doctor the process in favour of his preferred candidate for the
provostship position has generated an internal unrest in the once peaceful
college community.
Ika Weekly learnt that the matter came to a head, when
a publication in a weekly newspaper (not Ika Weekly) credited the chairman of
the Governing Council of the College, Hon. Ossai N. Ossai as having boasted
that he was going to make sure his anointed candidate, emerges as the College provost. In the said
publication, which was made available to this Ika Weekly, Hon. Ossai was quoted
as having boasted of being instrumental to the employment of many persons of
his ethnic stock into the institution. He also stated that he was practically
responsible for the emergence of the current deputy provost of the school who
is an uncle.
Since that publication, which could be regarded as very
offensive to other stakeholders, and the publication of a thoroughly watered
qualification and criteria for candidates interested in the Post of College of
Education, Agbor, which will soon be vacated by the current provost, Dr.
Emmanuel U. Tibi, there has been an uneasy calm in the college community. A lot
of newspaper publication have been made which have exposed the unrelenting
efforts being made to have laid down procedures altered.
According to some persons who spoke to Ika Weekly on
strict condition of anonymity, the position being held by the chairman of the
Governing Council on the appointment of provost goes against the established
standard and procedure. They noted that such unbecoming approach to a sensitive
issue as the recruitment of the provost of the college was capable of
undermining the relative peace that had existed in the school, for so many
years, as the matter was gradually creating a gulf between the college
management and the Governing Council. They warned that if nothing reasonable
and urgent was done by the government to arrest the ugly trend, the issue might
snowballed into an uncontrollable crisis, as the said chairman is hell bent on
imposing his personal will on the entire college community and Ika nation.
A very competent source disclosed to this paper that
there is conspicuous presence of Council almost everyday, at the college
premises throwing it?s weight around as a way of intimidating the school
management into submission. Different committees have allegedly been
constituted by the Council, who another source say are virtually coming to the
school everyday, to make claims and collect money. ?For sittings is really
getting out of hand made one wonders to
the primary duty of the Governing Council is to orchestrate confusion and breed
bad blood in a place they are supposed to encourage academic excellence and
peace.
?For about two weeks now, the House of Assembly, taking
cognizance of the unhealthy situation, which has generated so the utterances of
the chairman of the council, much tension, among other reasons has called for
the immediate dissolution of the Governing Council. The inaction of government,
it seems, is helping to heighten the tension. The Council is still there and
there could be suspicions by Council that management is helping to fuel the
development, which makes for estrangement between them?.
Another source which spoke to Ika Weekly lamented that
the matter could be atllowed to degenerate to the level it has gotten to. He
therefore called on Ika traditional rulers to close ranks in seeing that the
mater is resolved amicably, in the interest of peace and tranquility in the
college community. The source further enjoined the royal fathers and other
stakeholders to realize the place of the college in the socio-economic
development of Ika nation. ?We hope our people perceive the fact that the
school is for now the only tertiary institution in Ika land that provides not
only huge employment for our people and non Ikas but also provides massive
votes in any election in the state. There is the urgent need to address this
sore issue because information at our disposal reveals that the tainted process
of recruiting a new provost by the Council under the leadership of Ossai, is
still going on in full steam. We advis government to declare its stand on this
matter. It is hoped that government will make its position on the recent call
for the dissolution of the council known. The House has done its job by
recommending for the dissolution, especially as the matter has been discussed
in the public domain and at other fora, first at the Town Hall meeting, where
the governor addressed the issue and at the recent Ogwa Ika at Umunede?.
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