Govt asked to intervene in Lagos College of Education conflict

The Deputy Registrar of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, Lagos State, Christopher Olamiju, has urged the Federal Government to intervene in the crisis rocking the institution over agitation for the removal of the provost.

Olamiju made the call in an interview with NAN on Saturday in Lagos.

Some staff of the college under the aegis of ‘Concerned Staff’ are claiming that the five-year tenure of the provost, Dr Wahab Azeez, has expired.

The staff said that Azeez should, therefore, vacate the office to usher in a new administration.

According to the deputy registrar, Azeez assumed office on May 26, 2019, and has completed his five-year tenure.

He was reacting to Azeez’s claim of the threat of eviction on him by the ‘Concerned Staff’.

The provost, at a news conference on Thursday in Lagos, claimed that the threat came from the ‘Concerned Staff.’

According to Olamiju, it is false that the ‘Concerned Staff’ embarked on a protest, disrupted academic and administrative activities and attempted unlawful eviction of the provost from his official lodge.

“The provost has served for five years; by law, his tenure has expired. Meanwhile, his administration has taken this college 10 years backwards. The workers’ unions are concerned about this issue and we are soliciting his removal.

“We need an acting provost pending when the authorities will appoint a substantive provost.

“It is worthy to note that the same law caught up with the college’s bursar, librarian and registrar, who observed the law and exited office without any problems. Those currently in that position are in an acting capacity,” he added.

The provost, at a virtual news conference on Thursday, alleged that the activities of a group that called itself ‘Concerned Staff’ had been disrupting the smooth running of the institution.

According to him, the group threatened him with a seven-day quit notice from his apartment.

He added that the group, whose activities started on May 27, was threatening the peace and security of the academic environment.