COEASU Renews Demand for Adeyemi Varsity Take-off, VC Appointment

Fidelis David in Akure

The Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo State chapter, yesterday expressed dissatisfaction over the appointment of the institution’s acting provost by the College Governing Council when it was still expecting the take-off of the Adeyemi University of Education, Ondo.

The governing council of the school had through a statement issued on November 10, 2022, and signed by the Registrar of the College, Mrs. Olufisayo Fakorede, announced the appointment of the erstwhile Deputy Provost of the Institution, Dr. Ajigbade Ikuejube, as the acting provost.

But not satisfied with the development, COEASU, through a statement signed by its Chairman, Dr. Adetokunboh Adepoju, and Secretary, Dr. Joel Edafe, tasked the federal government on the immediate constitution and mobilisation of the Transition Implementation Committee for Adeyemi Federal University of Education; facilitation of enabling conditions for the immediate take-off of the university, and the immediate appointment of a vice chancellor that has the requisite qualifications, acumen and attitude to drive a university.

The statement read: “The Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), Adeyemi College of Education chapter, at its meeting of November 16, 2022, deliberated extensively on the news from the social media that an acting provost was appointed by the College Governing Council for the legally extinct ‘Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo’. The union is not averse to the appointment of the acting provost as there should not be a vacuum in any system but it frowns seriously at the silence of the College Registry headed by the registrar on a matter of such great importance.

“The information from the social media, which is not a reliable source, indicates that the acting provost was appointed by the governing council on November 7, 2022. Contrary to this, the union got two mails on November 9, 2022, one of which was signed by Babalola, S. E. for the director of Information and Public Relations inviting the union to an award ceremony organised by the Association of Independent Newspaper Publishers of Nigeria where it was expressly indicated that Dr. Akintunde, the provost of the college would be conferred with the award of a Pillar of Education in Nigeria on November 27, 2022.

“The other was signed by Okunniga P. A, a deputy registrar in the Division of Examination and Records of the College Registry with an attached invitation to the first Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria Induction Ceremony in the college where it was also expressly stated that Akintunde is the provost.”

According to COEASU, ” It brings to mind the question: can there be two chief executives in the institution, that is, a provost and an acting provost? If that is the case, it amounts to a state of anarchy which gives room for suspicion of some clandestine activities against the appointment of the long awaited vice chancellor for the Adeyemi Federal University of Education, Ondo.”

The union called on the authorities concerned not to take reprehensible steps or measures that will continually perpetuate illegalities in the college, through the process of appointing a substantive provost, as it would not be welcomed by the union

It also clarified that the union is not against the appointment of a provost in acting capacity, but demand the immediate appointment of a vice chancellor and the constitution of a Transition Implementation Committee for the immediate take-off of the new university.