Group Writes Federal Character, Faults Appointment of New Bursar For FCE, Abeokuta
A socio-cultural group based in Abuja, Ijebu Forum, has faulted the appointment of Mr Bakare Muyideen from Abeokuta South Local Government area of Ogun State as the new Bursar for Federal College of Education (FCE) Osiele, Abeokuta saying that his choice negated the constitutional principle of federal character.
The group expressed this displeasure in a letter written to the Chairperson of Federal Character Commission, Abuja dated Monday 19, 2923 and signed by its General Secretary, Mr Owolabi Arigbabu. A copy of the letter was also sent to the Deputy Minority Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Hon Abdel-Majid Adesegun Adekoya representing Ijebu North/Ijebu East/Ogun Waterside federal constituency.
The group in their protest letter explained that, sequel to the advertisement for the vacancy of a Bursar and Librarian for the institution, the trio of Mrs Adegboyega Sidikat Oluwatosin from Ijebu North who joined the school in 1993, Mr Itiola Taiwo Adeboye from Abeokuta North LG who joined the college in 1997 as well as Mr Bakare Muyideen from Abeokuta South LG who got employed by the school in 1999 applied to be the next Bursar of the college.
The group revealed further that, on Wednesday, May 17, 2023 the Governing Council of the college interviewed the three applicants and then announced Mr Bakare Muyideen as the successful candidate and the next Bursar of the school.
The forum has however described the appointment of Mr Bakare Muyideen as against the principle of federal character and should not be allowed to stand.
The group said “we wish to note with emphasis that the proposed and contemplated presentation of either Mr. Itiola Taiwo Adeboye or Mr. Bakare as Bursar of the Federal College of Education, Osiele Abeokuta, Ogun State is a contradiction and breach of Section 8 (1-3) of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amended) on Federal Character which prevent the predominance of an ethnic or sectional groups in government and its agencies.
“In the case of the Federal College of Education, Osiele, Abeokuta Ogun State, the major and principal officers and offices of the College are dominated by the Abeokuta/Egba section of Ogun State as follow: Provost, Dr Soyele Rafiu Adekola, an Egba from Abeokuta North LG, the Registrar, Mr. Adebayo, Gabriel Adedayo, an Egba from Abeokuta South LG, the Deputy Provost, Badaru Rahman another Egba person from Abeokuta South LG.
“While the key Officers in the finance of the College are the Provost and the Bursar, the current Provost is a native of Abeokuta (Egba man), and he is moving and manipulating to install a fellow native of Abeokuta (Egba man) as the Bursar, at the detriment and exclusion of other section of Ogun State that is well qualified in all ramification and in total disregard to the principle of Federal Character.
“It should be noted that Ogun State is politically and regionally divided into four sections of Egba (Abeokuta), Ijebu, Yewa, and Remo. For the indigenes of Abeokuta, that is, Egbas to occupy the key principal offices and key financial positions of the college when we also have a competent, qualified and experienced Ijebu person, who has diligently and meritoriously served the College and the country since 1993 without any blemish, is an aberration to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as well as principle of equity, justice and fairness.
“In view of the above, we passionately appeal to you, to use your good office to intervene in the plight of the Ijebus, from the hands and claws of the Egbas represented by the Provost Dr. Soyele Rafiu Adekola and others that are bent, determined and resolute to deny an Ijebu person of becoming the Bursar of the Federal College of Education Osiele, Abeokuta, Ogun State”.
