Over a year after his inauguration, Dapo Abiodun, governor of the state of Ogun, has yet to appoint a substantive commissioner for education in the state.
Mr. Abiodun, who won the 2019 governorship contest, was inaugurated on May 27, 2019. It took him eight months, however, to select the members of his cabinet.
The 19-member list was released in December, following criticism from state residents.
Sidi Osho, Professor of Food Technology and former Vice-Chancellor at Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), was among the commissioners named before the ceremony in January.
Before his nomination, she had served as special advisor to the governor of higher education. She was appointed to head the Ministry of Education, but that did not materialize.
Mrs. Osho was the only Commissioner who had not been sworn in January, despite the fact that she had been screened and cleared by the State House of Assembly.
Sources in the state government said that, prior to the clearance, she had faced some challenges in screening due to her dismissal as a lecturer at Olabis Onabanjo University (OOU) and some other allegations.
Before the screening, some of the parties concerned had expressed concerns about the turmoil that the appointment would cause, because the letter of her dismissal had gone viral.
At present, however, she maintains the office of special adviser on education and has been representing the governor at public events.
When teaching at OOU in 2009, Mrs. Osho went on a two-year sabbatical leave.
In the meantime, during the leave period, she was appointed Vice-Chancellor of ABUAD in 2010 and promoted to the professorship in 2012.
She served as ABUAD Vice-Chancellor until 2014 – years after the period of leave had expired.
Multiple sources noted that she attempted extending the leave granted at OOU by two years, but failed.
Upon resuming back to her office in OOU, she was accused of staying off duty without approval, as well as maladministration.
As a result, in 2016, Mrs Osho was dismissed for unethical and gross misconduct by the university authorities.
In a letter dated 13 April 2016 and with reference number OOU / ACA / P.1200/237, the university told Mrs Osho, who was at that time a lecturer in the Department of Home Science and Hospitality Management, of the dismissal.
“Council, at the 182nd meeting held on Tuesday, 8th March, 2016, considered the report of allegations of gross misconduct leveled against you, which was duly Investigated by the Staff Professional Ethics and Discipline Committee (SPEDC) and submitted a report through the Appointment and Promotion Committee (A&PC) to the council.
“In considering the recommendation before it, council viewed your actions as unethical and a gross misconduct which is contrary to the University Rules and Regulations and the conditions stated in your letter of appointment.
“Council, therefore, in line with the earlier recommendations of the Staff Professional Ethics and Discipline Committee (SPEDC) and in accordance to the extant Code of Conduct approved that you should be DISMISSED from the service of the University from effect on March 8, 2016,” the letter read.
Mrs. Osho refused to comment on the matter when she was contacted on Friday.
In fact, when our reporter further searched, Mrs. Osho threatened to take legal action, stating that she had a right to her private life.
“I can decide not to talk. I have a right to my private life,” she repeatedly said.
However, the Special Adviser to the Governor of Public Communications, Remmy Hassan, confirmed that the appointment of Mrs. Osho had been stalled due to the dismissal.
Nevertheless, he indicated that although she was still in office, there was an internal process for the dismissal, as well as other allegations surrounding her appointment.
“She is still around the corridor of government because she is still the Special Adviser on Higher education. If, after the outcome of the investigation, the governor feels she is still fit, she would be appointed and if otherwise, the governor will find a replacement,” he said.
Some students in the state called on Mr. Abiodun to name a substantive commissioner for education as a matter of urgency, arguing that the vacancy in the ministry was responsible for the underdevelopment of the state education sector.
The students stated this in a statement signed jointly by the National President of the National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS), Oluwagbemileke Ogunrombi, and the State Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Tomiwa Bamgbose, in Abeokuta on Thursday.
They argued that no serious government that truly seeks results and growth in the education sector should leave the Ministry of Education without effective leadership.
“Education, as one of the most important sectors in the State deserves all the attention it needs from the government. The vacuum in the leadership of the Ministry of Education as a result of the vacant post of a Commissioner has no doubt adversely affected the development (of) the sector.
“Since Professor Sidi Osho was dropped as the Commissioner for Education, the Governor has refused to make an appointment into the Ministry and this has no doubt slow(ed) down the development of the sector.
“The Ministry deserves a qualified, experienced and committed professional with track records of unprecedented achievements both in the public and private sectors,” the statement read.
Reacting to the issues posed by the student groups, Kunle Somorin, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, claimed that he had no idea when an education commissioner would be appointed.
“I have not been briefed by the governor,” he said in a telephone interview with our reporter.
