Ibadan Poly lecturers accuse colleagues of plagiarism

Written by Akinwale Aboluwade

Two lecturers of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Oyo State have allegedly violated the copyright law.



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The lecturers were alleged to have plagiarised the books of other authors in their two books Perspectives in Psychology Volume 1 and Perspectives in Psychology Volume 2 written in 2000 and 2004 and sold to the students of the institution.

Two principal lecturers, Dr. Tunji Adewuyi and Mr. Samuel Olajumoke, in a petition titled: Allegation of Plagiarism and violation of Copyright Law to the Director-General, Nigerian Copyright Commission, Abuja dated September 19, 2011, said the two books were a verbatim production of the works of a colleague based in the United States of America.

The duo argued that the books were bereft of indigenous flavour and examples but rooted in Euro-American consciousness, models and academic paradigms.

They described the books as "a feat, we are sure, is beyond the academic competence of the authors.

"We have the original of the book and particulars of the foreign author and the title which the plagiarists copied wholesale for personal and economic benefits,"

Our correspondent, however, learnt that when a petition was written in 2009, the school authorities set up a five-member probe panel headed by Mr F.A Adeniran as chairman.

The term of reference of the probe panel reportedly are to investigate the allegation of plagiarism, recommend definite sanctions and to report back within two weeks from the date of the receipt of the memorandum dated November 18, 2009.

However, the panel had yet to submit its report, but investigation revealed that the purported authors were still going about with their duties.

Copies of the petition were said to have been sent to Governor Abiola Ajimobi, the state House of Assembly, Commissioner for Education, Commissioner of Police, the institution’s rector and the media.

The institution’s Public Relations Officer, Alhaji Soladoye Adewole, confirmed there was an allegation of plagiarism against the lecturers, as well as setting up of a panel.

He added that members of the copyright commission were invited but the petitioners could not substantiate the allegation as they failed to produce the book which the ‘authors’ allegedly plagiarised.

Yoruba peeps, from certificate and visa forgery to academic plagiarism? Another first by our [b]shofistikated [/b]bruders