Candidates shortlisted for employment into the Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) have alleged that the state government had cancelled the recruitment exercise.

PLATFORM TIMES learnt that the state government started the recruitment of 1,500 teachers in the last quarter of 2019.


It was reported that qualified applicants were later shortlisted for interviews.


However, the recruitment exercise was stalled by the COVID-19 pandemic which brought about the closure of schools for almost six months.


The applicants on Tuesday protested to the Governor’s office, carrying placards with various inscriptions, begging Governor Dapo Abiodun to release their appointment letters.

The protest comes less than 24 hours after the state government announced fresh process of recruiting some teachers, who would serve as interns for a period of two years.

The candidates expressed fears that the government had subtly cancelled their recruitment exercise and opted for new approach.


According to them, the Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Professor Abayomi Arigbabu, had once informed them that the release of their appointment might not be possible anytime soon, blaming that on paucity of funds.


Speaking on behalf of the protesters, an applicant from Abeokuta South, Yemi Oyeleye, appealed to Abiodun to consider them for the job, having waited for many months.

According to him, some of them were sacked by their employers after the state government announced that their appointment letters were ready.

The protesters said they were shocked to see another statement from the Education Commissioner, announcing the recruitment of teachers as interns.

Addressing newsmen at the NUJ Secretariat, Iwe-Iroyin, Abeokuta, Adeleye said: "We are here on behalf of the 1,500 shortlisted Ogun state SUBEB candidates. We were shortlisted late last year for the recruitment into SUBEB.

“But, we have not started working, because we are yet to receive our appointment letters.

“Basically, we don't expect any argument, what we expected from the government was the completion of the ongoing recruitment exercise, which is taken up to two years now.

“We have been left unattended to, no communication to our ends. We are the ones forcing ourselves to hear from them now, but they refuse to talk to us.

“We have submitted several letters, which were acknowledged by the representatives of the government. We have written to the Chairman of SUBEB, Commissioner for Education, Chief of Staff, the Secretary to the State Government and even the governor himself, but to no avail.

“We want them to release our appointment letters. They have started recruitment, they sent us a congratulatory messages that we have been selected.

“During May 29, 2020 celebrations, the governor pronounced it. He also celebrated it during his one year in office. They posted it on the media and even the media aides to the governors posted it everywhere. The governor aides like SSA on Social Media, Emmanuel Ojo; the SA on Public Communication, Remmy Hazzan, among others posted it.

“We are appealing and begging the governor to give us our appointment letters. We are dying and all we are demanding is that he should give us the appointment letters.

“During process of recruitment, some had accidents while on the way to the venue of the interview. Some have been relieved of their jobs because their employers knew that they were getting a government job soon," Oyeleye submitted.

Also in his words, Gbeleto Ismail, expressed surprise that the government has begun the recruitment of interns, without an update about the 1,500 applicants.

“Yesterday, there was information from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology that there will be recruitment. They said they want to recruit teachers on contract basis. We met with the Commissioner of Education and he made it known to us that the issue of appointment letter is not feasible again because the government is not that financially buoyant to pay the permanent workers. He said that was why they are thinking of another arrangement by empowering another set of people, who, after two years, may be considered for permanent employment.

“This is not good. This is not what the government promised. All we want is our employment letter,” Ismail stated.

Reacting, the State Chairman of SUBEB, Dr Femi Majekodunmi denied cancellation of the process, but blamed the delay on paucity of funds.

He said "It did not cancel it. This is a kind of let's say interim thing. It is a contract for two years. We have not cancel their recruitment, it is still there.

"But, if they want to partake in this new recruitment, they are free to take part.

"Government did not forget them, it is the situation of things and paucity of funds. But, the interim recruitment is available for them to partake."

Nigerian our country

Very good, better late than never