A few hours after Osun state governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, approved the suspension of the state college of education’s provost, Ila-Orangun’s Dr Jimoh Atanda Afolabi, on the grounds of alleged financial impropriety, concealment of official information and records, and failure to update the governing council on the important issues of the college, the governor has announced Dr. Jimoh Lasisi Ayanda as the acting provost of the college.
The governor’s spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, who announced the name of the new acting provost in a statement in Osogbo, said, “The appointment was a sequel to the suspension of Prof. Jimoh Atanda Afolabi as provost on grounds of financial impropriety, concealment of official information and records, and failure to update the Governing Council on the important issues of the college.
Dr Jimoh Lasisi Ayanda holds the following qualifications: National Certificate of Education (English/Islamic Studies, Ila-Orangun, 1990); Bachelor of Arts (Islamic Studies, University of Ilorin, 1996); Masters of Arts, University of Ilorin, 2004; and PhD, Islamic Studies, University of Ilorin, 2016
The acting provost has spent a cumulative 22 years as a lecturer at the college.
His total number of years of experience as a lecturer in the College of Education sector, including years in the Federal College of Education (Special Oyo, Oyo State), is 25.
A specialist in Islamic history and jurisprudence, the acting provost has served the college in various capacities, as follows:
● Assistant Secretary, COEASU OSSCE Ila-Orangun 2005-2007
●Secretary COEASU OSSCE Ila-Orangun, 2008-2010
●Chairman, COEASU OSSCE Ila-Orangun 2010-2014
●Chairman, Council of Academic Unions of Osun State Tertiary Institutions ( CASUOSTI) 2013-2016.
The acting appointment takes immediate effect.
Meanwhile, in a separate statement by Mallam Olawale Rasheed, the governor stated that he had approved the immediate suspension of the provost of Ila College of Education in line with the interim report of the Investigation Panel headed by the Chief of Staff, Hon. Kazeem Akinleye.
The Governor also approved the recommendation of the committee that the Chairman of the Governing Council, Dr. Peter Babalola, should remain in office as there is no proven case of abuse of power or financial wrongdoings against him.
The allegation of over two hundred million naira fraud levelled against the council chairman was found to be unsubstantiated with documentary proof or transaction details.
The cash advance of three million naira to the council chairman was found to be within the college’s financial regulations, with all documentation verified by the committee.
Based on a thorough review, the committee discovered that the allegation of N200 million in fraud levelled against the Chairman of the Governing Council is untrue, diversionary, baseless, and fallacious.
Documentary evidence (a voucher) revealed that he only collected a sum of three million naira (N3 million) as a cash advance, which is officially allowed.
On behalf of the Provost, the Committee reviewed three previous reports of investigations into various allegations of financial malfeasance, abuse of power, and corruption levelled against him dating from past administrations to date.
The Committee, after a thorough review of the reports, including those of the State House of Assembly and its own investigations, recommended the immediate suspension of the Provost, which is now endorsed by the State Governor.
Sequel to the findings of the investigative panel, the provost of Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun, Dr Jimoh Atanda Afolabi, is hereby suspended on the grounds of financial impropriety, concealment of official information and records, and failure to update the Governing Council on the important issues of the college.
The committee is billed to submit its final report at a later date.