Residents of Eruwa, Ibarapa East Local Government Area of Oyo State, mostly youths on Monday, took to the street in protest of the appointment of an Acting Rector of the Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa, Dr. Akinteye Adewuyi.
The residents also demanded the immediate dissolution of the institution’s governing council, led by Dr. Samuel Ogundiran for peace to reign in the town.
But, Ogundiran insisted that the decision to reappoint an acting Rector was in line with the National Board of Technical Education requirements.
The Monday protest saw scores of the residents carrying placards with various inscriptions and chanting solidarity songs.
They also made bon fire in front of the polytechnic gate purposely to prevent the entry of the newly appointed rector to the institution.
The situation paralysed academic activities, as students who were supposed to start their examinations were also prevented entry to the premises of the school.
The Ogundiran led governing council which approved the appointment of Dr. Akinteye Adewuyi as the acting rector, Oladipo Abimbola as the acting bursar and Abegunde Olatunde as the acting head of works last week Friday had also announced the dissolution of management and the appointment of a new team.
While announcing the appointment of the acting rector, Ogundiran said the former acting rector, Mr. Peter Adejumo’s tenure ended on September 10, 2021.
One of the protesters, who pleaded anonymity, advised Governor Makinde to immediately dissolve the governing council and reconstitute another one for peace to reign in the town.
He said, the choice of members that made up the governing council was unacceptable to the generality of people in Ibarapa, owing to their questionable character saying “The new acting management is unacceptable to us. They are APC members. Where were they when we voted for Governor Seyi Makinde?
“Now they want to reap from where they did not sow. We want Governor Seyi Makinde to dissolve the entire management for peace to reign. Governor Makinde’s second term ambition will suffer greatly if he puts the current management team in the helms of affairs in this polytechnic. This protest will continue if the entire management is not dissolved.
When contacted, the Governing Council Chairman, Dr Ogundiran said the National Board of Technical Education guideline allows Council to appoint Acting Rector’s for a maximum of 12months and which was a decision taken at a general meeting of the board which held earlier.
Ogundiran said “I don’t want any press interview but whatever you read about the protest is what the council has done and the council did it according to the law governing the administration of education in Polytechnics.
“Yes, the protest was to counter the Council decision but what we did is in the law. NBTE document Chapter 10, Section 10.2.2E.
“Acting capacity is a maximum 12month, six months in the first instance and another six month in the second instance. And you re conversant as a journalist with the situation in UI, the acting was firstly for six month and eligible for a renewal which is final for any institution.
“It is in the law of the National Board for Technical Education and that was the section I quoted for you earlier. The decision is a council decision at the council general meeting and it is in line with the documents guiding the conduct of affairs in Polytechnics in Nigeria.”
Reacting to the protest, the Students’ Union Government of the school urged all the students of the institution to desist from any act of violence that may cost them their studentship, adding that they should work towards peace.
A statement jointly signed by the president and public relations officer of the Students’ Union body, Aanuoluwapo Opeyemi and Olawale Omolola, respectively, said the union would not allow any external factor to affect the welfarism of the students and cause delay in their academic pursuit that must not exceed two years.
“Be reminded that the COVID-19 pandemic and strike haave caused a lot of setback and time wastage for students already.
“We would therefore not allow any external factor to affect the welfarism of our students and cause delay in their academic pursuit that must not exceed two years.
“Staff members should, however, be cautioned not to use their selfish interest to disrupt the academic calendar of the institution.
“We urge the students populace to desist from any act of violence that may cost their studentship. Let’s all work towards peace,” the union urged.
