FUNAAB recalls sacked three whistleblowers, 20 others

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By Femi SHODUNKE

NIGERIA: THE 23 workers sacked by the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) in Ogun State on Friday got the best of news they have been anxiously waiting for.

The Governing Council (GC) of the university tore their sacked letters and recalled them unconditionally back to work.

The cheery news followed the decision taken by the GC at its Thursday meeting where the erstwhile acting Chairman, Chief Olukayode Akindele, stepped aside for the representative of the Federal Ministry of Trade and Industry in the Council, Mrs. Susan Oludiya.

Sources told GatewayMail that the workers got their letters Friday morning, as they were ready by the close of work on Thursday as exclusively reported by our newspaper.

And in a media release later in the day, the Head, Directorate of Public Relations, Mrs. Emi’ Alawode, said that the GC approved the recall at its 92^nd meeting.

Alawode said: “The Governing Council of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State, has approved the recall of the 23 members of staff that were disengaged from the University, as part of efforts to resolve the recent unrest, following series of appeals from within and outside the University community.

“The decision was taken at the 92nd meeting of the Council, held on Thursday, December 22, 2016 and chaired by Mrs. Susan Oludiya, a member of the Council, in line with the agreement that the Chairmanship be rotated, till the reconstitution of a new one.”

She added: “The unconditional letters of re-absorption were signed by the Acting Registrar and Secretary to Council, Mr. Obafemi Oginni. All the 23 staff, who were very elated to be re-called, have resumed at their duty posts.
“It would be recalled that the Governing Council, at its 90th statutory meeting, approved the disengagement of some staff from the services of the University for various offences.”

She recalled that in order to ensure that the University enjoys permanent respite, a Council Committee to Investigate the Lingering Industrial Unrest and Tension in the University was set up to look into the immediate and remote causes of the unrest.

“The work of the Committee is on-going,” Alawode said, just as she stressed that the University has elected two Congregation representatives to be in the Council in line with the provisions of Chapter F22 (7) g of the establishment Act of the University.

“Those elected are Professor Adesina Agboola of the Department of Mathematics, College of Physical Sciences (COLPHYS) and Architect Babatunde Anasanwo of the Physical Planning Unit of the University,” the university image maker said.

She stated that the three Congregation representatives on the Senate, who were returned elected, are Dr. Adebayo

Oni of the Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Livestock Production (COLANIM); Dr. Abiola Jayeola of the Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, College of Environmental Resources Management (COLERM) and Dr. Dominic Odulate of the Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management (COLERM).
Alawode stressed that the embattled Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olusola Oyewole, who is facing 18-count charges of corruption alongside the former Pro-Chancellor, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, and the former Bursar, Mr. Moses Ilesanmi, has enjoined all members of staff to continue to contribute positively to the development of the University, while normal academic and administrative activities continue unabated.
In a reaction to the development, a professor (name withheld) told GatewayMail that it was really embarrassing and disappointing that the prior advice given to Oyewole, which he rejected, has now come to pass.

“The golden advice given to the VC to do and he didn’t is what has eventually happened unconditionally now,” the source said.

The source added: “So the VC has lost honor and control, it’s a shame.  I wish he had taken the counsel earlier than now, SSANU would have thanked him, but now they will ignore him and fight to change the acting bursar, which is another angle to the crisis on campus.”