Provost/staff conflict engulfs college of education in Lagos

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

Olamiju made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos.

NAN reports that some college staff claim that the Provost’s five-year tenure, Dr Wahab Azeez, has expired, and 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.

According to Olamiju, it is false that the ‘Concerned Staff’ embarked on a protest, disrupted school 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.

“His administration has taken this college 10 years backwards, and the workers’ unions are concerned about this issue and we are soliciting for his removal.

“We need an acting provost pending when the authorities 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 acting capacity,” he added.

The provost had at a virtual news conference on Thursday alleged that activities of a group which 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 an apartment.

He added that activities of the ‘Concerned Staff’ which started on May 27 are threatening the peace and security of the academic environment.
“I wish to also bring to your attention that the group organised a protest on the college’s premises.

“This protest is basically for the mischievous purpose of removing the provost from continuing in office, with a claim of expiration of tenure from 26th May, 2024.

“They have locked up the entrances to the provost’s offices since Monday, May 27, and have denied me and the staff access to the offices, preventing the smooth running of the college and interrupting time-bound administrative decisions.

“All efforts and re-engagement made to the ‘Concerned Staff’ have been frustrated and rebuffed,” he stated.

The provost noted that on June 12 and June 13, a five-member team from the Federal Ministry of Education visited the college to listen to the complaints of the leaders of the aggrieved group.

“Documents were collected from the staff, and they were promised that the minister would do due diligence on their grievances and get back to them.

“Surprisingly, I got a phone call on June 26, at about 1.00 p.m. that some of the concerned staff came to the provost’s lodge for the second time.

“They came with some staff to harass my wife, who is also a lecturer in the college, and my children. They placed a quit notice on the provost’s lodge and gave us seven days to vacate the building,” he added.