… No Treat To His Life, Says Concerned Staff
As a section of the protesting workers of the Federal College Of Education (Technical), Akoka refused to back down on their protest, the Provost, Dr Wahab Azeez has accused some unionists on the campus of engaging in activities that constitute a threat to his life and his immediate family members.
According to the Provost, the unionists under the umbrella of “concerned staff” had locked up his office and offices of other management members since 27 May, claiming his tenure had ended as the college’s provost.
Speaking during a media briefing in Lagos, Azeez pointed accusing fingers at the Chairman and Secretary of the college’s chapter of the Senior Staff Union of Colleges of Education (SSUCOEN), Augustine Nwachukwu and Kazeem Qadri respectively.
He said Messrs Nwachukwu and Qadri, among others, have consistently led daily protests for more than four weeks against his leadership of the college “over a tenure system that has since been clarified in my favour by the Federal Ministry of Education.”
The Provost said apart from denying him entry into his office since 27 May, the protesters last Wednesday stormed his official residence on the campus and threatened to eject him within seven days.
“They even posted a banner on the building that I should vacate within the next seven days or that I would be forcibly removed from the building. That is the height of it. My family including my wife who is also a lecturer on the campus have been placed under serious threat,” Mr Azeez said.
The Provost accused the protesters of not only barring him from accessing his office but also mobilising forces against other workers and unions whose positions are against theirs by organising “illegal congresses and staged impeachment of officers of the unions.”
Mr Azeez said: “A few days ago, the protesters mobilised random students and said the President of the students’ union was impeached simply because the union’s leadership did not join their protest.
“Last Thursday, they threatened an impeachment process against NASU leadership for heeding the minister’s directive.
“They have also accused me of being dictatorial or being stubborn but despite their excesses not a single one among them has been queried or sanctioned. I have remained an activist all my life and that is why I have remained quiet over the matter. But I think they should know that I am still the chief security officer of the college and it is still my responsibility to provide security for staff and students. A few individuals cannot take laws into their hands.”
Union Denies Allegation Of Threat
In a reaction to the allegation of treat to his life, members of the Concerned Staff of the college wrote, “Again, we are emphatically stating here that there was no occasion of threat to his life nor that of his family members, rather, he has been the one threatening to deal with members of staff physically and spiritually. He has occupied the campus with heavy police presence with amory.”
The Concerned Staff warned that attempts by the authorities concerned to disregard their call or any attempt to subvert justice will be vehemently opposed by its members.
How Crisis Started
Mr Azeez was appointed the provost of the college in May 2019 for a four-year term of office but his letter of reappointment for another four-year term in office was dated 23 January 2023. Following the new appointment by the government, Mr Azeez said he resumed the second term on 26 May 2023.
However, on 12 June 2023 an amended Federal Colleges of Education Act, 2023, which recommended a five-year single term for management officers education colleges nationwide, came into effect.
He said: “So some individuals who thought they would have the opportunity to become the provost if my second term was truncated by the new Act mobilised the workers against me and sought clarification from the Federal Ministry of Education.
“But because the Act came into effect after I had resumed, it clearly stipulates that all of us who already started our second tenure should finish the second term of four years. And this is the exact interpretation the ministry gave in its response to their letter.”
The letter addressed to the Education Minister, Tahir Mamman, by the workers and the response by the ministry which was signed by the Director of Legal Services, Enonebi Azorbo.
Dated 4 December 2023, and signed by both Messrs Nwachukwu and Qadri, SSUCOEN wrote Mr Mamman and sought an interpretation of the Act in connection with the tenure of office of principal officers of the college, particularly, the provost.
A similar letter written under the aegis of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Staff Unions on the college was addressed to the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education.
The signatories to the letter by JAC were Messrs Nwachukwu and Qadri for SSUCOEN, and Chairman and Secretary of the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Olasunkanmi Alonge and David Odukunle respectively.
Minister Clarifies
Meanwhile, in its response to the inquiries dated 23 May, and referenced: SAF36/S.511/T/143/, the Minister of Education, Mr Mamman, explained the contents of the new Act and the interpretation by the ministry’s legal department.
However, expectations are high on the Committee of Provosts report that has been submitted to the Minister of Education, Professor Mamman Tahir as all parties to the faceoff await the outcome.
