TAIWO ABIODUN A US-BASED NIGERIAN JOURNALIST'S "CLINICAL" DISSECTION OF THE PROBLEMS FACING THE INSTITUTION:
INTERVIEW GRANTED BEFORE HIS SACK
INTERVIEW GRANTED BEFORE HIS SACK
THE RETIREMENT AND THE RECTOR
We alleged Mr Banji Alabi , that the present acting Rector is over 65 years , like I did tell you that the retirement age of a Rector is 65, he ought to have retired last August 2019 , but he doctored his age .This man ought to have retired , the law says that at the point of entry if you want to apply for rector your age should not be more than 59, and if he is claiming 59 then he is not suitable to be a substantive Rector. We now challenged Mr.Banji Alabi, he was saying it was Mr. Governor who wanted to make him the Rector . What they did was that the advert they did they expunged the age. I will send the advert template, the advert was placed in newspapers in national dailies. As we speak the school is owing us five months salary.
( Listen to the rest interview from the video)
Above is the interview he granted before his sack
Before Mr.Governor came on board Mimiko was owing us five months , before then we had what we generate here to pay and that was what led to the accumulation of salary arrears, as we speak now, we are being owed five months, two months of Mimiko and three months of the present government.
FIVE VEHICLES BOUGHT FOR 68M naira
It was a GT Mercedes Jeep, of course we are not against being buying official car and it should be in the car pool, whenever he's coming to the school the driver would drop him..We didn't see the official car
ARRESTED
Yes, I was arrested about a month ago . We had earlier written Mr. Governor that he should please intervene in the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic that the way things are going that school may go into extinction , God forbid , aside being a lecturer there I graduated from that school , I am an alumnus of that school , I am a stake holder. I should be able to lend my voice in the matter of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic .
He reported us through the Management , they reported us to the Commissioner of Police , the Area Commander invited us , we were arrested and we wrote our statement . They called Bursar, they called the Director of Internal Audit , they called some of the scheduled officers who were supposed to write the voucher they denied they were never aware of any transaction of that nature.
Aside that Mr.Banji Alabi always meddle with day to day running of that Institution, it is not his duty.It is the duty of the rector or the Management .It is for him to make policy as stipulated in the extanct law that established Polytechnic. But he was the one if anybody does anything he was the one who orders the Rector to give them query and he's frustrating the staff from performing their job .Fears have gripped workers even when they were hungry because we believe in stomach infrastructure , we can't expect somebody who is hungry to be teaching effectively .
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NEW EMPLOYEES
The new employees as we speak, is that even when we are agitating that the 2017 promotion should be done but Banji Alabi refused and said no money is available along the line you are employing between one, two,three, two hundred, 250 new members of staff and yet you are saying there is no money to do promotion when our counterparts in the Civil service had already collected their promotion 2017/18 even 2019 is almost done and we now said that he does not have the interest of the workers, workers' welfare is not his priority .His personal interest is the priority. He does not have the welfare of the workers at heart , and we felt that kind of person is not worth to be the Council chairman.
THE 500Million naira
That is part of what they have been spending now . At least this money has been released for over five months and yet nothing tangible has been done with it .
RELEASE FOR WHAT?
The money was released to pay the remaining two months arrears of Mimiko, that was 2016 and 2017 January but the management Council refused to use the money , they claimed the money is for capital project as we speak no single capital project that had been done with that money and the question we need to ask them is that where is the money?. Where is the money even when workers are suffering. Workers are being embattled with untold hardship and yet they are trying to silence the Union on Campus.As we speak now I am on suspension with my General Secretary for dare writing Commissioner of Education .
IJAWOYE; ASUP CHAIRMAN
It took the intervention of well meaning Nigerians and National ASUP body to settle the issue amicably .As we speak now before his arrival, before his emergency as chairman the total number of students we were having was over 10,000 students , now the students' population is less than 2,000, we must ask him him 'how did he do it? if before his emergency of him in March last year we were having over 12,000 students and now we having less than 2,000 it shows he does not know how to run a tertiary institution and one of the things he did was to increase students' school fees and he now blackmailed Mr. Governor that it was Mr. Governor who directed him to increase the school fees of the students and that was what led to students to go to other places, to go to Federal Polytechnic Ile Oluji, Federal Polytechnic Ado, go to Iree Poly, Osun state Polytechnic , Yaba Tech, Edo State polytechnic ,Auchi .The students we are supposed to have if we are running the same programmes at the end of the day they would come out to be a Diplomats , our students are paying above 100,000 while others in other schools are paying 40,000, 27,000, 21,000 naira .If you are a parent Sir where do you think you want to put your children ? you can' be wasting money , that is why most of the students are not going to Rufus Giwa Polytechnic.
RUGIPO STAFF SCHOOL
And one of the recent things he did is this issue of Staff School , it has become a news on social media and news in the print .The Staff school in Rufus Giwa has been shut down , a school that is having over 800 pupils and he said that it is not breaking even , he closed it , he sacked all the teachers there .This is anti -government policy .The government did not ask him to do this , he was doing this because he did not like the workers .I am from Owo.
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DO YOU KNOW ALABI IS FROM OWO TOO?
Of course, I know that is why everybody is wondering that why is he doing that kind of thing .
BUT EVERYBODY WOULD BE WONDERING YOU ARE ATTACKING HIM TOO
NO, no,no,it is not a personal issue , like he always say ,because he always look at me as his boy , and I said ''no'' I am riding on the mandate given to me by a group of people , intellectual , people that know their onions , of course I am not the oldest ,at least going by my age I am more or less the youngest among the lecturers but then they have saddled me with a responsibility to lead them if am not competent they wouldn't have voted me for the second time.
WHAT OF THE DILAPIDATED BUILDINGS
Of course that is one of the agitations of the Union , as we speak now , if you look at the letter sent to the management we never put payment of salary as part of the stringent conditions but we said there are some things need to be done , the school need to be re.., to meet up with the 21st schools standard.
RESPONSE FROM ALABI
THE CHAIRMAN GOVERNING COUNCIL, RUGIPO DENIED ALL ALLEGATIONS SAYS , IJAWOYE IS BEING USED
Barrister Banji Alabi, Chairman Governing Board
The Chairman RUGIPO governing Board denied all the allegations Ijawoye presented and said it is baseless, he said ''I worked with a multinational oil firm for 24 years without any stain. Is it now that I will soil my hands?. I am a lawyer and I carried out my legal practice honourably'' .
ASKED TO COMMENT ON ALLEGATIONS LEVELED AGAINST THE COUNCIL
ALABI:Corruption is fighting back. We stepped on powerful toes in a bid to reposition d school .He allowed himself to be used by enemies .I luv him & I don't know why he is selling his birthright for peanut.
Newly completed building
ON THE 68M NAIRA CARS
ALABI: It is statutory. Officials cars for Principal officers are the cheapest any school purchased for the principal officers. It was in the budget & passed thru due process. He too (Ijawoye) has official car as ASUP chair. If he has official car - why not d rector & others.He who comes with equity must come with clean hands. It is the practice in all d schools in d world -status cars are provided for officials .In fact in all companies & all government officials.My driver own an official car. All d lawyers in my chambers own official cars. All my sales reps in my real estate coy own official cars .He knows d truth -he too own official car .Just blackmail -I forgive him.
Another project almost completed
ON WORKERS EMPLOYED
It is a lie -I am not d Rector of the school -d Rector determines d work available at d school , who to do d work & how to do it-I have nothing to do with .Each year -during accreditation process during d last 30years -d school employs adhoc employees for certain roles - it is d practice before I was appointed -he too knows about it -it is just cheap blackmail.His brother is one of d people employed .His problem is that he want to call d shot at d school -put d management &Council under him .
We are working ooo
The current war -is all about d appointment of principal officers -he want to appoint d Rector & others -really funny .But we remain focus & determined to make d school d best in Nigeria -I need u to visit d school yourself & see d massive development during my less than one year & six months http://justambitioustoserveinfo.com/2019/10/06why-corruption-is-fighting back-at-rugipo-banji-alabi/
Read why corruption is fighting back &get d full gist .Thanks
SOLUTION TO THE CLOSED SCHOOL
ALABI:d school is not sustainable :It is privatized -we have two options (1) d workers to join d state school management board or (2) be employed by d management of d new school. But unfortunately, they are not interested in working with d new government cos of differential in salaries .Thanks.
I extend my hands of fellowship to Mr.Ijawoye & all the others to let us come together & make Rugipo great again.I forgive him. Lets join hands together to build the school & carry out the Executive orders of Mr. Gov.D Executive Order Of Mr Governor , Retool, Reconstruct &Reposition Ondo State Polytechnic ,Owo(RUGIPO) and make it a leading research institute committed to improving the human condition through advanced science and technology ''.
I will NOT seek for second term-I will do my best to develop d place & leave after this tenure .I want to be able to say that I served my people to d best of my Ability &leave d best legacy in d 40years history of d school.My practice in Lagos is suffering & I am eager to go back & concentrate fully on my private business .
Part of the materials being used for the school renovation
I forgive all those who spread dangerous rumours against me & those who are persecuting me for upholding d truth & doing what is d best for our community .We remain resolute :we are determined to take more difficult decisions to reposition our school & our community .
Walai talai , we are working
Some people are so desperate to be d Rector or bring d entire school down -if they cannot get it :pls let them know that it is God that promotes -It is God that install & remove leaders ; I have never lobbied for any position in my life -I work very hard &I pray ceaselessly &leave d rest for God.Power may be sweet but because of d painful hangover from losing it-it is not worth acquiring by hook &crook method .Tell them to stop sending Ijawoye to do their dirty jobs .
LATEST SCHOOL PROJECTS
ALABI: We have a lot of projects on ground, we are working. I knew how I met this school when I came in , and I have just spent one year and six months here but we have gone far. I want a school that can compete with other schools not only in Nigeria but anywhere in the world.
See our projects
RUGIPO can't even pay salary -we are borrowing money .So when people talk of corruption & stealing I laughed.
I am a process person - all d due process were followed .But tale tell rumors are juicy .They cannot point out to anything except purchase of cars that are legitimate transaction.
On the closed schools, But unless we arrest d situation -the school will go under .We don't have IGR. D school depends on only subventions .We will start IGR now.The school fees they pay is 2,500naira and can't increase it .It is not sustainable
In a press release yesterday, the Institution's visitor , Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu approved the appointments of the following Principal officers with immediate effect;
Mr. Gani Ogundahunsi as the Rector
Mr.Atiku Sule as the Registrar
Mrs. F. R. Aladeniyi as the Polytechnic Librarian .
The press release was signed by Barrister Banji Alabi Chairman , Governing Council
While speaking to some students and staff , many were blaming the two ASUP officials for being allowed themselves to be used .One of them asked whether those the two were fighting for would now save them from the predicament they now found themselves.''They have warned them to thread softly but they refused'', one of them declared.
A nsise o
We dey worki ooo
MIXED REACTIONS
Barrister Banji Alabi was praised by Israel Taiwo in his statement , he wrote . Some students and workers in the school spoke . According to a man who refused to mention his name '' Alabi is not a poor man. He is a very rich man and has brought innovation to the school. He meant well . The school has almost gone into extinction before he came in , but now things are changing.Go to the school and see for yourself''.
Another student called on phone and said '' both Alabi and Ijawoye are alumnus of this school, I see no reason why they should not co-operate. I know Alabi is not there to destroy the place but to develop and contribute his own quota, please we want peace''.
Another called and said '' Alabi should not have sacked Comrade, it will bounce back and backfire.What is bad in criticizing? Na wa for this Alabi o, how can he just closed down the staff school like that? This is sheer wickedness.
WHAT NAILED COMRADE IJAWOYE
Ijawoye during one of his activities , addressing students
Ijawoye like other activists is vocal and has supporters of the students and some lecturers who loved him but his radicalism according to an insider, the man , Ijawoye did not have limit as he talks anyhow and was rude to his seniors.
''The oga mouth no get brake , e go just dey jamtalk .There is a difference between fighting for justice and being rude. Now his family will suffer for fun'', a man spoke on phone .
Letters warning the Comrades before they were sacked yesterday
Comrade is said to be a man that did not separate rudeness from activism. The way and manner he talks to people is crude, disgusting and nauseating, a senior official of the school said on phone . He added '' although he may have points but his manner of approach nailed him the more''.
Banji Alabi is a lawyer of many years of experience who has his Chambers in Lagos , and with his estate you cannot say he does not have managerial experience but the Comrade discredited him saying he has no experience of managing human affairs because he was working for a candidate who does not have anything to show . We are talking of honesty and integrity'', the man stated.
Ijawoye has been given warnings different times because of his flagrant violation of the law and careless use of words and disobedience to rules and regulations of the school. He was later suspended for disturbing peace and disrupting examination period .
Now he has been sacked by the Institution with immediate effect.
The next action is yet to be unveiled as he may definitely go to Court. If he eventually goes to Court then he should be fully armed because he will meet Aketi and Alabi who are lawyers and will not spend a dime but the two sacked Comrades would need a lawyer .
SACKED! What next?
This reporter called Ijawoye this morning and his response is that they will meet in Court. ''We are going to Court .Court is our next line of action'', he said.
Will he win or lose?. Time will tell.
