Ekiti University ASUU slams Fayemi, Says “He has done nothing to improve EKSU financially”

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado Ekiti branch has come very hard on the State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi and Chairman of the Governing Council of the University,  Prof. Bamitale Omole, saying the governor has not done anything to improve the financial situation of for the institution.

In a statement signed by Comrade K. K. Arogundade and Comrade O. D. Ogunwale, ASUU-EKSU chairperson and secretary respectively,  the union questioned the rationale behind Governor Fayemi’s establishment of a College of Agric in his hometown, “despite his frequent claims of paucity of funds in the State.”

The statement titled; “Prof. Bamitale Omole: Stop the Pretence and Deal with Ekiti State University’s (EKSU) Financial Problems,” was in response to a recent interview granted to an online news medium by Prof. Omole.

“Apparently, the University Council and the Visitor, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi, have not done anything to improve the financial situation of the University. As we speak, we are back to the era of payment of amputated salaries for an upward of 12 months and still counting.

“Rather than consolidate the development of the University; which he promised to make a first class University, he went ahead to establish a College of Agriculture in his home town, despite his frequent claims of paucity of funds in the State. This we believe is tantamount to hypocrisy and insincerity,” the statement read in part.

While hinting on possible industrial action, the ASUU said “our patience has been stretched to a breaking point.  The Union should not be held responsible for any events occurring as a consequence of the lackadaisical attitudes of the State Government, Governing Council and the Vice Chancellor.”

The attention of ASUU- EKSU has been drawn to a recent interview granted to an online news medium by Prof. Bamitale Omole, who is the incumbent Chairman of the Governing Council of EKSU, where he made some “beautiful”, but empty submissions about the underfunding problems being experienced by Universities in Nigeria. He spoke like he is the mouthpiece of the proprietors of these Universities (both State and Federal Universities) by defending their nonchalant attitudes towards the financial problems facing these institutions. We, ASUU-EKSU, are constrained to respond to the contents of Prof. Omole’s interview because, they mislead and do not reflect the situation of things in our own University. We note here that, Prof. Omole as the Chairman of Governing Council has not attracted a dime to the University, contrary to the major role and responsibility his appointment and office place on his shoulders.

For instance, in his response to a particular question, he alluded that “there is no scintilla of doubt that university education in the country is grossly and abysmally underfunded by successive administrations”. The question herefrom is, as a Chairman of Council, what exactly has he done since assuming duty in 2018 to improve the financial situation of EKSU, where he is currently serving as Chairman of Council?

In response to another question, the statement of Prof. Bamitale Omole that:

“government should privilege the option of dialogue and fidelity to the agreement signed with ASUU. If and when it’s becoming difficult to fulfill all the items as agreed, it is then expedient on the government to call for meetings and dialogue with a view to finding ways to resolve grey areas and not all this resort to brinkmanship, bluffing and blustering”

This negates the totality of his leadership style and quality. How many agreements has he honoured since becoming a Chairman of Council? How many times has he evolved dialogue and meetings to explain why such agreements were fragrantly thrown into the dustbin?

The major undoing of his “yarns” in the press release was when he lied that:

“the vice chancellor, in collaboration with the faculties, is introducing courses in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Big Data Analytics, Bioinformatics, Cyber Security, Nanotechnology, Cloud Computing Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality and Mechatronics”

In actual fact, the University is struggling under the suffocation meted on her by the unwilling attitudes of the Chairman of Council and the Visitor to the University in improving on the paltry sum currently being released as monthly subventions to maintain the current NUC accreditation status. Thank God he agreed that, for the incessant struggles of the Union, the Nigerian University system (in terms of infrastructural development) would have remained a shadow of what it ought to be.

Therefore, ASUU-EKSU wishes to highlight the true position of things in our University:

i. All the high sounding and glamorous postulations/claims, ascribed to Prof. Omole in that press interview, are direct opposite of what obtains at EKSU, and what he stands for as the Chairman of the Governing Council of EKSU.

ii. It is not a secret that EKSU is poorly funded under the watch of Prof. Omole, who has not done anything to improve the situation of things that he met on ground. Rather, the University is yet to recover from the mismanagement of the Prof. Sam Oye Bandele led Administration; under the callous watch of an almighty former Visitor to the University, Peter Ayodele Fayose, who released only six months subventions for a whole year of 12 calendar months.

iii. Prof. Omole’s media interview was a glaring attempt to hoodwink the public and make it look as if he is providing the necessary and required leadership in the University.

iv. In spite of his promise to attract funds to the University and to appeal to the Visitor to increase the inadequate subvention to the university, he has chosen to embark on media glitz.

v. It is disheartening that the Chairman of Council, instead of attracting funds to the University has chosen to deliberately ignore the call of all and sundry to unveil the masquerades behind a celebrated Fraud (a.k.a Portal Fraud) in EKSU. If a University as poorly funded as ours is defrauded of a humongous sum and the Chairman of Council who is in possession of reports of investigations into the case continues to chase shadows, while the perpetrators appear to be untouchable, then the credibility of his leadership is questionable.

vi. To us, our endurance and understanding had been taken for granted by Prof. Omole and the University Administration led by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Edward Olanipekun.

vii. Apparently, the University Council and the Visitor, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi, have not done anything to improve the financial situation of the University. As we speak, we are back to the era of payment of amputated salaries for an upward of 12 months and still counting.

In view of the above, we owe members of the public the duty to let them have full and correct position of things in the University. To this end, our Union is demanding explanation from the Chairman of Council, Prof. Tale Omole, and the Visitor, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi, both of whom we assume to be renowned academics, and whom we think should have a better understanding of the workings of the University system, on why they have continuously ignored the suffering and inhuman conditions of the staff of EKSU.

It is important to note that in spite of several meetings that the union had had with the Visitor, nothing tangible has been done about the situation on ground, even when he has promised and assured us on several occasions that he would increase the monthly subvention to the University.

Rather than consolidate the development of the University; which he promised to make a first class University, he went ahead to establish a College of Agriculture in his home town, despite his frequent claims of paucity of funds in the State. This we believe is tantamount to hypocrisy and insincerity.

We wish to use this medium to call on well meaning citizens of Ekiti State to appeal to the Visitor and the Chairman of Council to tow the path of honour and look for means of giving adequate financial support to the University. Education is the major industry in Ekiti State (Fountain of Knowledge and Land of Honour), and her only University should be a model to other Universities in Nigeria.

Our members have over this period endured denials and hardships arising from the failure of University in paying our entitlements.

Therefore, our patience has been stretched to a breaking point.  The Union should not be held responsible for any events occurring as a consequence of the lackadaisical attitudes of the State Government, Governing Council and the Vice Chancellor.

Comrade K. K. Arogundade

Branch Chairperson, ASUU-EKSU

Comrade O. D. Ogunwale

Branch Secretary, ASUU-EKSU