TB/HIV/AIDS Research Group,
Nigerian Institute of Medical Research,
Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.

Postal Address:

Mr. Philip Anochie,
P.O. BOX 55601,
Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos, 101008, Nigeria.

13th December , 2013


Dear Sir,

A HUMBLE APPEAL FOR ASSISTANCE FOR THE WITHDRAWAL OF DISMISSAL LETTER , COMPENSATION , REINSTATEMENT AND PAYMENT OF MY SALARIES AND ALLOWANCES BY PROFESSOR INNOCENT UJAH -THE DIRECTOR GENERAL/CEO OF THE NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL RESEARCH, YABA, LAGOS, NIGERIA.

I humbly write to inform you that I was given a dismissal letter without a fair hearing and no disciplinary committee was set up to listen to my own side of the matter.

I humbly appeal to you to intervene so that due process will be followed and consequently, the withdrawal of the letter, my reinstatement , compensation, and payment of my salaries and allowances.

I am a Senior Staff in the TB/HIV/AIDS Research Group of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research , Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria and have made the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research and Nigeria as a whole proud as a recipient of the International Society of Infectious Diseases (ISID) and the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) Joint Fellowship Award in 2010 on Genotype analysis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates in Milan , Italy . I have worked in this institute for more than 21 years, so I deserve a fair hearing before any disciplinary action leading to dismissal is taken against me. This dismissal means loosing my entitlements for 21 years.

I therefore humbly request for the dismissal letter to be withdrawn, for me to be adequately compensated, reinstated to my office and all my salaries and allowances paid to me because of the following reasons:

1. Disciplinary procedure for serious misconduct leading to dismissal was not followed according to Federal Government of Nigeria Public Service Rules . The arrangement was planned in such a way that I will not have the opportunity to defend myself.

2. There was no specific day or fixed time for me to appear before the appointments and promotions committee which they took as a disciplinary committee. I was there throughout the working hours of the three dates given in their invitation letter and I was never attended to. Whenever I go to them, they will tell me to go back, that it is not my turn until it gets dark.

3. No disciplinary committee was set up and if at all, it would not have been properly constituted as my trade union, the Academic Staff Union of Research Institutes (ASURI) was not represented or invited to be a member of the disciplinary committee or to witness its process according to the Scheme of Service of Federal Government Research Institutes, Colleges of Agriculture and Allied Institutions of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
4. The Chairman of ASURI branch in my institute, the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Dr. Hilary Okoh , had gone with his executive officers of the union several times to Professor Innocent Ujah to withdraw the dismissal letter but Professor Ujah still hardened his heart like Pharoah.
5. The National Chairman of ASURI, in Nigeria, Deacon Ndubuaku had gone to Professor Innocent Ujah to withdraw the dismissal letter and he still hardened his heart like Pharoah.
6. The Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Directorate of People’s Rights, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Lagos State Nigeria had invited Professor Innocent Ujah to a meeting on this matter twice but Professor Ujah ignored him and did not attend.
7. I have taken this matter to the National Industrial Court in Abuja where Professor Innocent Ujah went and hired a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) against me using government funds that would have been used for better things.
8. I am a Civil Servant and I cannot afford the service of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria talk less now that I do not have a job. The only hope I have now is social justice and not legal justice.
8. Professor Innocent Ujah prefers to waste government funds in the courts instead of doing the right thing of following the path of peace and justice.
9. Professor Innocent Ujah was posted three years ago from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the University of Jos, Nigeria to the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research as Director General. At the University of Jos, he contested for the post of Vice Chancellor of the University and failed. He took the University of Jos to court for not following due process and now he does not want to follow due process by obeying and following simple Federal Civil Service rules of setting up a disciplinary committee for any staff that is suspected of any wrong doing.
10. Upon his position as the Director General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, (NIMR), Yaba, Lagos, he is not above the laws of this country and deserves to be brought to book.
11. I am humbly appealing to you and people from his village and those that love and know him as well as members of the public to advice him to see reason and do the right thing on time before it is too late.
12. My dismissal is as a result of my competence and interest in tuberculosis research. My dismissal is a product of a gang-up spearheaded by Professor Emmanuel Oni Idigbe (The self-made god of tuberculosis) in the institute who have served two tenures of 8 years as Director General of the Institute and is still presently working in the institute after two Director Generals after him, 35 years of service and over 65 years of age as stipulated in the Nigerian Civil Service Regulations .
13. Professor Emmanuel Oni Idigbe (Retired) worked on tuberculosis and there is no way only one man can control a disease. I am not in his good books in the tuberculosis laboratory because of my proven competence, unquestionable integrity, sincerity, transparency and truthfulness. Professor Idigbe decided to use the Head of Tuberculosis Unit, Dr. (Mrs) Catherine Chizoba Onubogu and Dr. (Mrs.) Nneoma Idika (Retired as longest serving staff in the institute) against me as well as the Acting Director of administration, Mr. Yannassazzau as well as the new Director General Professor Innocent Ujah against me. Professor Idigbe is presently working on contract on a fund- wasting, inexplicable, fabricated, bogous, ineffective and shadow position in the institute.
14. That was why they did not set up a disciplinary committee to hear what I have done because I am innocent.
15. Their war against me was intensified in 2010 when I won an international award in tuberculosis – A joint fellowship award by the International Society of Infectious Diseases (ISID) and European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) Joint Fellowship Award 2010 on Genotype analysis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates in Milan, Italy. My crossing their “red line” to win the award led to my dismissal in May, 2013.
16. Is it a sin in this institute for a person to excel in his career just because Professor Emmanuel Oni Idigbe (Retired) wants to convert the tuberculosis laboratory of the institute to his “private kitchen”?. No wonder, all the staff in the laboratory are all women. Men are either sacked or posted out of the laboratory.
17. Professor Idigbe (retired) have not lectured in any university before and I am not preventing him from answering the name of “Professor”. All I want from him is to advice his master “Professor Ujah” to withdraw the dismissal letter .
18. Professor Innocent Ujah was just on a political appointment of four years as Director General of the institute subject to renewal and will not understand what must have happened during my 21 years of service in the institute without a disciplinary committee that provide me the opportunity to be heard.
19. There is no job in Nigeria and nobody will employ me because of my age having spent 21 years of service in the institute and loosing my entitlements abject suffering /hardship with my six children and other dependants upon my being innocent.
20. I have not received any warning or faced any disciplinary committee since I joined the institute more than 21 years ago.
21. Professor Innocent Ujah should compensate me adequately for loss of earnings, injury to feelings, suffering and hardship I pass through everyday with my family and dependants. Whatever I have done, at least, I deserve to be heared and this is a clear violation of my fundamental human rights which is the right to fair hearing.

22. I was not given any warning letter before the dismissal letter. The letter of invitation to appear before the disciplinary committee was written on the 11th of December 2012 which is also the same day they wanted me to appear before the disciplinary committee because they do not want me to be heared.


23. For the foregoing reasons, I humbly appeal to you, to help me for the dismissal letter to be withdrawn and proper disciplinary procedure for serious misconduct be followed according to Civil Service Rules.

24. The dismissal letter was with effect from 20th May 2013 and I was not paid any money for that month of May 2013 and yet a salary pay slip was given to me for that month of May 2013 without paying any money into my salary bank account.

25. I hereby humbly appeal that I should be reinstated, the dismissal letter withdrawn and all my salaries and allowances paid to me from the month of May 2013 till date.
26. I humbly appeal to you to help me to inform Professor Innocent Ujah and Professor Innocent Oni Idigbe to make hay while the sun is still shining and see reason to follow the path of peace and justice by compensating and reinstating me to my office, paying my salaries and allowances from May 2013 till date and stop wasting government funds recklessly in the law courts against me which would have been used to pay my salaries and allowances for many years.
27. May God grant you the wisdom and understanding to grant my plea. I also humbly appeal that this petition be forwarded in due course to the Head of Government.
It will be very much appreciated, Sir, if my humble appeal receives your kind consideration.

Thank you very much, Sir, in advance for your kind assistance.

I remain,

Yours faithfully,



Mr. Anochie, Philip Ifesinachi.
ISID/ESCMID Grantee 2010,
Microbiologist/Research Fellow,
TB/HIV/AIDS Research Group,
Nigerian Institute of Medical Research.
Telephone: 08166582414. E-mail: philipanochie@yahoo.co.uk.