THE management of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State have further deceived themselves at a press conference held at the premises of the State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) yesterday, in Benin City.
Shying away from addressing the burning and substantive issues of brazen fraud; transcript racketeering, tuition fees hike, disbandment of Students Union Government and sundry issues plaguing the institution, the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Sunnie Adagbonyin gloated over the mockery of a university institution in twenty first century.
“For long, purveyors of falsehood, merchants of propaganda, dwellers in the mansions of blackmail and revelers in the habit of reputation damage and de-marketing have used Ambrose Alli University and its Management as cannon fodder for pleasure and political profit. Perhaps no other University than AAU, a University that has produced great men and women, has suffered such bad press and been so pummeled”, the Acting Vice Chancellor intoned.
A university Don has knocked the Acting Vice Chancellor for speaking tongue in cheek over the glooming fate of the premier state institution in the last seven years, under Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration.
“By claiming that AAU is a victim of media attack, the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Sunnie Adagboyin thinks he can deceive the public with “smooth” language to divert attention from the festering ills, maladministration, illegality, corruption, impunity, repression, victimization, administrative and academic aberrations being perpetuated in the University by the SIT and his University led-Management.
“The problems are harmful and antithetical to the the wellbeing of staff and students as well as the development of the University. The media is not expected to shy away from making report out of these problems bedeviling the state-owned University. The Acting Vice Chancellor is economical with the truth.
“We challenge the Acting Vice Chancellor to speak to the substance of the problems that have been the concern of media attention, such as the alleged certificate and transcript racketeering for which one of his aides was relieved of his appointment in the University while his wife, Mrs. Itohan Obaseki Adagboyin who is also a staff of the University, was queried and awaiting trial.
“Why has the alleged promotion fraud of the Provost of the University College of Medicine swept under the carpet having been queried and suspended and recall for due process to be followed?
“There are series of alleged academic infractions against some staff who are today the agents of Special Intervention Team (SIT) and University Management. They include Dr. Nwoke of Physiology Dept, Dr. Nosa of Accounting, and Dr. Ogbomie of Business Administration etc, etc, etc”, the Professor said.
Last month, Trojan News Media reported how the institution’s management defrauded 28 (twenty eight) overall best students who were allotted N30,000 (Thirty Thousand Naira) each, arising from AAU 40 years anniversary celebration.
After the exposing the inherent fraud in the University as have been done repeatedly by Trojan News Media, the Vice Chancellor hurriedly set up a Committee after our story, followed by the invitation of Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Related Commission (ICPC) to major stakeholders who shortchanged the overall best students of the University.
In a letter signed and dated August 18th, 2023, on behalf of the Acting Vice Chancellor by the Acting Registrar, Ambrose E. Odiase reads in parts: “The Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor A.S. Adagbonyin has approved the constitution of a Committee to Investigate Allegations of Financial Impropriety on Prize/Award to Best Performing Students (Male/Female) in the Faculties During the AAU @40 Celebration, with membership as follows:
Prof. H.O.T. Iyawe, Acting Dean, Faculty of Life Sciences (Chairman), Prof (Mrs.) B.O. Anyanwu, Ag, Head, Dept. of English (Secretary), Dr. (Mrs.) R.I. Osarenren-Osaghae, Ag, Head, Dept. of Edu Fund & Magt. Dr. E.O Nwoke, Dept. of Physiology and Mrs. Esekhaigbe, Faculty Officer (Social Sciences).
Sources in AAU told Trojan News Media Correspondent that the Committee with a mandate to turn in the report of its investigation findings in three weeks has been under intense pressure by the same AAU management to exonerate those involved in the alleged fraudulent act.
“Nothing good can come out of the current administration of Ambrose Alli University as long as Governor Godwin Obaseki’s brother in-law, Prof Sunnie Adagbonyin and his enabler, Austin Osakue have the mandates to ruin the University before the expiration of the Governor’s tenure as Visitor to the University next year.
“Part of their oppressive mandate is the dissolution of Students Union AAU chapter on September 1, following the protest over increments of fee for the returning students.
“It’s inhuman and a crime of utmost savagery for a State Government, (SIT) and the University Management to approve 300 percent increments of school fee hike astronomically from N150,000 (One Hundred And Fifty Thousand Naira) to N80,000 (Eight Hundred Thousand Naira) per student in a semester, in a State where minimum wage is N30,000 (Thirty Thousand Naira only), where some Professors in the service of the University who have not received salaries from the University over the last two years are dying of starvation”, sources told our Correspondent in Ekpoma.
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