MAPOLY lecturers reject new rector

A crisis may be looming at the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic,
MAPOLY, Ojere, Abeokuta in the western Nigerian state of Ogun as the lecturers kicked against the appointment of a new rector for the school, by Governor Ibikunle Amosun.

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) of the school, accused the State government of not following due process.

The State government had last week appointed Prof. Bamidele Adelanwa
Itiola as the substantive Rector, following claims that the immediate
past Rector, Arch. Tokunbo Fowode had written to the State government
requesting to embark on terminal leave. Fowode's appointment was billed to end next year February.

The ASUP in a communique signed by the Chairman, Olawale
Adetunji and Publicity Secretary, Oyerinde Abiola, noted that, "only the Governing Council of the Polytechnic that is saddled by the edict establishing the Polytechnic to handle the appointment of a Rector.

"That there is an existing agreement between the Union and the
Government, that rectors shall only be appointed for the polytechnic
from within the Polytechnic sector. That contrary to the establishment
procedure, there was no advertisement requesting application for the
post of the rector; nor was there any appointment interview".

The Polytechnic lecturers further observed that it is the aspiration
of every worker to attain the apex of his/her career and it is the
desire of every academics in the Polytechnic sector to become rector
one day, adding "National policy on Education clearly shows that
operation of the polytechnic sector differs from that of University
sector.

"The Congress therefore resolved that the appointment of a Rector for
the Polytechnic outside the Polytechnic sector is rejected. That as a
prelude to the commencement of the process for the appointment of a
Rector for the Polytechnic, the Governing Council should be put in
place immediately.

While, it further urged that the Governing council should thereafter
initiate the process for the appointment of the new Rector, the body,
affirmed its loyalty to the State government on its mission to rebuild
the State, "and it is in that spirit that we made these resolutions."