₦airaland Forum

A popular senior pastor of Omega Fire Ministry and founder of Waazemhe foundation Pst Dr. Azemhe Azena matriculated today in Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma.

Pst Dr. Azemhe Azena was said to have gained admission into the prestigious faculty of Law through Direct Entry as he hopes to be called to bar someday

https://www./539947039405564/permalink/4405365949530301/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTkMNgbqJxe/?utm_medium=copy_link

https://www./539947039405564/permalink/4406190266114536/

Lalasticala

D. INFRASTRuCTURAL DEVELOPMENT

In infrastructure, our Council recorded tremendous progress in providing physical
Structures for the University. Several buildings financed by TETFUND emerged and both Council members and staff were stopped from interfering with contractors or putting
obstacles in the way. TETFUND management praised AAU Governing Council when in
In November 2019 five of the projects were commissioned. Council's stern posture ensured that these projects were completed within the time and cost allotted to them: 1)
Management science building; 2) Physical Sciences complex 3) Faculty of Education building: 4) Mass Comm. faculty building: 5) International Conference Centre, 6) Students
Recreation Centre and 7) new lecture theatre.
the CBN Funded Engineering Theatre was completed following the regular appeals made to the CBN Governor by Council Chairman. , the gigantic Administrative Services building which had been under construction since 2007
was completed. The State Governor personally promised to complete the complex by December 2019 to encourage our Council. t was completed in March 2020.

4. THE BENEVOLENCE OF ALHAJI ALIKO DANGOTE (AFRICA'S RICHEST MAN:

The most momentous of these physical structures are the male and female hostels funded by Aliko Dangote Foundation. The offer of an honorary doctorate in Business Admin (DBAJ to my distinguished and eminent friend, Mr. Emmanuel lkazoboh, Group Chairman of Ecobank Transnational Inc. gave us the hostels. Ikazoboh is a bosom friend of Alhaji Aliko Dangote. On October 20, 2019, Aliko Dangote accompanied Mr. Ikazoboh to Ekpoma to support him at the convocation ceremony and he announced the donation of both a male and female hostel to AAU in appreciation of the honor AAU did to his friend.

5. After my prior discussions with the management of UBA PIC in Lagos, the Council authorized the VC to seek a loan of about N610 million from UBA Plc for the construction of a 508-room student hostel that would accommodate more than 2,000 students. The loan was approved by the bank and the Visitor to the University endorsed the project. However, at the point of disbursement concerns of the Council over the poor financial controls under the VC put the project on hold.

6. Two BOT students' hostel development initiatives were signed with 3" party developers but these initiatives have not taken off due mainly to the interruption of the Covid-19 pandemic

7. Council approved the fencing of the western perimeter of the Ekpoma main campus of the
University (side facing the Benin/Ekpoma Expressway) to facilitate the laying of decorative flower beds along the fence walls and to prevent herdsmen, hoodlums, and criminal elements from further breaching the security of the University.

8. Unfortunately, commitments secured by the Council Chairman for the construction of the Vice Chancellor's lodge by a donor and another hostel by an oil and gas company are nov lost

Indeed, the Council's dream of creating on-campus hostel accommodation for 10,000 students

at AAU by October 2022 is now lost.

E. AVOIDABLE AND WORRISOME DEVELOPMENTS.

State government officials worked to obstruct our Governing Council in the following ways

January 2019, the Visitor sent to Council a 14-item petition of allegations of corrupt practices
leveled against the VC. A committee set up by Council proved these allegations to be true.
the report was sent to the Governor in August 2019. In October 2019 the initial report sent
e Governor was returned for Council deliberations by the Educ. Comm

the Educ. Comm Jimoh jegbai, appointed in August 2019, was unhappy with the allegations
against the Vc. He attempted to suspend Council on August 16, 2019, but was overruled by SSG.

However, in a letter of March 11, 2020, Educ. Comm. again tried to overturn decisions taken by the council after its 4-døy meeting of February 18-21, 2020. He then issued a mischievous query to Council Chairman. The Educ. Comm. and VC were particularly disturbed about the independent internal auditor chosen by Council to audit the 2019 AAU accounts.

4. Educ. Comm. was so eager to fault the Council Chairman that he invited the EFCC to investigate the Chairman's sitting allowance and car purchase. But the car purchase was authorized by the Governor and approved by Council. Car Dealer even gave AAU a discount of NSm for my sake.

S. I write the Chairman's Toyota Land Cruiser has since been returned to AAU after the dissolution of Council. The Chairman's car has always been a property of the University.

6. The Educ. Comm. stopped the Council meeting of June 30, 2020, because the June 29 meeting found the VC guilty of the corruption allegations. The Comm. illegally prorogued the Council and halted its meetings until after the Governorship election in September.

7. Above developments were reported to the Governor/Visitor who expressed consternation and wondered why the Educ. comm. was acting outside the University Law.

8. However, it was clear that Council investigations of the VC were the catalyst for the strange behavior of the Educ. Comm. The Vc had secured the support of top government officials who promised to protect him.

9. In October 2020, Governor set up a Special Visitation Panel to look into the activities of AAU in the past 10 years. The Governor had wanted to do this in October 2018 but I prevailed on him that a due diligence exercise will be more discrete.

10. After the governorship election, the Governing Council sought to hold its regular meeting but the Permanent Secretary of Education Ministry, Mrs. Imasuen, wrote that neither the meeting of Council nor F&GPC should hold while the Visitation panel was in session. This was unusual.

11. Even when the Council informed the State Government that its meeting was necessary because the three principal officers of the University were retiring the advice was ignored. The Bursar retired

on December 1, 2020, the Registrar retired on April 27, 2021, and the VC retired on May 11,
2021. A timetable already drawn for the newspaper advertisement of these positions to request applications from suitably qualified candidates could not be sustained. The government was indifferent that AAU would be run by various officers r all in an acting capacity

12. The current impasse in AAU where staff salaries have been unpaid for 5 months and check it dues and sundry deductions are outstanding for 9 months would have been taken care of if the Governing Council was allowed to do its work. The current outstanding bill of Na billion 15 not or AAU to handle maturely and collaboratively. the council would have waved in

Our management and staff unions to resolve this impasse. Council wanted to meet to
profer a solution. Council gave a summary of the solution package to the visitor

* Own turn-around expert, my ability to guide our Governing Council in resolving whatever
challenges that may be confronting AAU was never in doubt. But the VC and some state
government officials had a hidden agenda.

14. After the Special Visitation Panel, the Governing Council then fixed a meeting for March 23 but the SSG again stopped the meeting on March 18.

iS. On May 11, the tenure of the VC ended and the Governor dissolved the Council. The VC was neither ousted nor sacked. Despite his atrocities, the VC completed his full term in office.

16. The conclusion is that some Edo govt. officials took side with the VC in the corruption saga and refused to punish him. Instead, it dissolved the Governing Council for exposing the VC but paradoxically the mandate to investigate the petition against the VC came from the Governor.

In Summary, corruption fought back and defeated the AAU Council. The VC bought support from his collaborators in govt. to dissolve the Council to bury the investigation report.

What is pleasing to me is the fact that my insistence on probity and leading by example
prevented me from ever getting personally involved in contract execution. At AAU even though over N5 billion was spent on TETFUND and NEEDS ASSESSMENT contracts under my Council Chairmanship I never for once allowed any temptation that would have turned me into a contractor. The State Government is invited to investigate this statement.

APPRECIATION

I cherished the opportunity given me as a son of Ujemen, an Ekpoma Chief, and a proud
Esanman to contribute my experience to molding the young minds at AAU. To have been given this role to make a difference in a University partly on my grandfather's farmland is the stuff

fiction is made of. I wholeheartedly appreciate the Council members for working tirelessly in
Council sessions and in committees and often late into the night to record the foregoing
achievements in such a short period. I am indebted to the staff Unions of ASUU, SSANU, NASU, and NAATs and the Students' Union for the confidence they reposed in our Council. I pray the new Intervention Team set up by Govt. will continue to uphold the glory of AAU, Ekpoma.

May the name of the Lord be praised both now and forever. Amen. Thank you.

Chef Sir) Lawsen A. OmokhDdion
Pro-Chancellor/Chairman of Council

Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma (Oct 30, 2018- May 11, 2021).

MY STEWARDSHIP AT AAU, EKPOMA" BY CHIEF (SIR) LAWSON .A. OMOKHODION, PRO-CHANCELLOR, AND CHAIRMAN OF THE DISsOLVED AAU GOVERNING COUNCIL

Following the May 11, 2021 dissolution of the AAU Governing Council by the State Government it is necessary to set the records straight for all stakeholders to know how our Council protected the sacred trust it was given.

A. GENERAL UNIVERSITY MATTERS

1. The Governing Council over which I was Chairman was inaugurated on October 30, 2018.

2. Our Council was guided by Article 7 (section 1) of the University Law that "Council shall be the governing body of the University and shall be charged with the general responsibility for the policy, finance, personnel, and property as well as the public relations of the University.


The University establishment Law 1999 as amended was the legal framework for the activities of our Governing Council. All our actions are derived from the Law.

Council identified three priorities viz: promotion of academic excellence; establishment of due process/keeping impunity in abeyance and infrastructural development.

4. Council established a planning framework and commissioned a Due Diligence exercise to cover the period October 2016 to October 2018. Report of the exercise was presented to Council and the Visitor in May 2019. The report unearthed a myriad of anomalies in the University.

S.Arising from the findings of the Due Diligence exercise, Council embarked on a comprehensive Intervention in various aspects of the University. Specifically, Council reformatted the misleading AAU financial statements for 2016 and 2017; Council reconciled the N1.64 billion overstated admin expenses and N2.227 billion understated in salaries and allowances in the accounts Council established a fixed asset capitalization policy that was non-existent; Council worked down the fake E-Transact debit of N199.7 million in the 2017 account; Council reintegrated the Over N1.3 billion pension liabilities previously omitted from the audited accounts; Council approved an annual budgeting process for the University unlike the past practice where the Education Ministry determined AAU's budget; Council sought to validate the N224.8 million students' debtors in the 2017 accounts and Council approved the full automation of the semi-manual AAU accounting system. Council agreed to redress the poor staffing quality in Bursary.

6. Only a few of the initiatives outlined above remain outstanding.

7. However, a Council audit/investment committee was set up to review the performance of faculties, directorates and departments every quarter for early signals of distress.

8. in the first budget after the Due Diligence exercise Council realized a revenue surplus of N800 million in the 2020 budget of the University. Subsequent developments crippled the efforts.

A.1 GOVERNOR'S MANDATE TO PROBE ALLEGATIONS OF CORRUPT PRACTICES AGAINST THE VC

9. In February 2019, the State Governor forwarded a 14-point petition to the Council for investigations into "the corrupt practices of the Vice-Chancellor of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma: Prof. Ignatius Onimawo".

A 5-member Council committee investigated the allegations and reports were subsequently discussed by Council and sent to the Governor.

10. Council discovered that N350million of AAU funds was transferred from its various bank accounts/revenue units between October 2016 and December 2018 into the private bank accounts of two personal assistants to the VC namely Christopher Omo-Iribhogbe and Eugene Eraikhuemen; a practice which violated the University's financial regulations. This practice may have continued till May 11, 2021. The Zenith bank account numbers of the two PAs are known.

The full investigation report is available at AAU.

11. Large sums transferred into the private accounts of the VC's assistants were subsequently paid to the VC, his wife, and his children. No wonder our Council found the VC 8uilty after the investigations.

A.11 OTHER INITIAL INTERVENTIONS

12. To avoid a situation where all heads of departments and deans of faculties were signatories to different bank accounts, Council centralized all departmental and faculty dues collections under the approved University signatories. The funds were to be assessed based on the need of the respective units under the VC's overall supervision.

13. To avoid leakages of funds, all cash transactions in the University were forbidden from June 1, 2019, and POS units were deployed to various revenue centers for ease of the process.

14. To control the significant increases in wage bills of prior years the ban on staff recruitment was re-emphasized but we found the VC uncooperative.

15. Council established two scholarship schemes in the University for 1) the best and brightest students and 2) for the brilliant but indigent students. It was to commence in 2020.

15. The Staff Audit exercise authorized by Council found cases of unknown staff and falsification of records in the files of both academic and non-teaching staff. Efforts to discipline the culprits were crippled by certain government officials.

17. The fixed assets classification exercise commissioned by Council was completed and the resulting value of N14.3 billion was entered into the asset register of the University. Assigning asset numbers in the register was the next stage.

18. In respect of the heavy burden of pension liabilities, Council began a discussion of a new pension scheme for staff of age 50 and below.

A committee to identify pension experts and find administrators were set up and discussions were still ongoing as of February 2020.
19. Three of the University-owned companies viz: AAU Consult Limited, AAU Bakery, and AAU Water plant were all loss-making. Council approved that both the Water plant and bakery be leased to private operators to stem the outflow of funds. Their fortunes were reversed and the University now earns a regular N800,000. monthly from the concessionaires.

20. Council discovered that AAU Consult Limited had outstanding receivables of N120 million and owed the University N70 million in advances but no University staff knew from where the receivables could be collected. Council suspected foul play.

21. Council discovered that a credit balance of N75 million in the liquidated Allstates Trust Bank in favor of AAU and held in the NDIC records had been collected by certain individuals in the University. Council-appointed auditors were forced to abandon their search for the truth.

22. New boards of directors were formed to provide a focused policy direction for all AAU-owned companies and the major beneficiaries were AAU Farms Limited and AAU Schools which showed signs of healthy growth. Council also planned to set up AAU Bookshop Limited.

B. STRIVING FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

Council decided that all AAU academic staff striving for the professorship cadre should have their published papers passed through the anti-plagiarism software. This is important for the credibility of the academic staff. Many lecturers revolted against the move. But Council insisted.

The practice whereby lecturers would commute every day from Benin to Ekpoma was declared unacceptable by Council and the existing policy that all staff should reside within a 20-kilometer so the University was to be rigorously enforced. The residency limit was extended to 30- meter radius of the University. Some lecturers had the habit of coming to AAU once a week

AAU Lecturers were to be rostered for in-service training and short-term courses tor intellect ures to expand their world view. VC was to deploy TETFUND facilities for this exposure.

A SCheme to ensure that AAU lecturers' attended their assigned lectures and for students to perform an annual grading of lecturers' effectiveness was being developed.
.students were required to resume lectures within a maximum period of two weeks from the official date of resumption otherwise they would be declared ineligible for the session.

My friends at Aret Adams Foundation approved an N100 million endowment for a professional chair in Business Studies at AAU. This achievement was the first of its kind in the University.

Similarly, an N3O million grant was secured from Gen (rtd). Tony Ukpo tor research in any field of agriculture at AAU over 10 years at N3 million per year. Tony Ukpo was a recipient of the AAU DBA honorary degree at the 2019 convocation ceremony.

8. Compulsory CBT courses for all classes were approved to ensure that in all class years certain common courses for uniform academic standards of graduating students were taken.

9. A Code of Conduct for all academic staff was also being developed to ensure internal self-policing of staff so that abuses of the past were not repeated.

10. Council established zero tolerance for staff falsification of students' results, the practice of sex for grades, and money for results and made it punishable by summary dismissal.

11. All 3 class first degree holders were to be removed from all academic responsibilities.

12. Practice of the past where students could graduate with three carry-overs was replaced by Council directive that students ill have to pass all mandatory courses before graduation.

13. The past culture of waste where the VC and principal staff were never on campus because of frequent travels overseas was reviewed and the VC was approved to travel at University cost twice a year to Europe/America. But if funded by donors VC could travel.

14. Using the resources provided by TETFUND, Council approved the construction of a University International Policy Centre where critical intellectual topics would be discussed by invited eminent speakers and the Students Recreation Centre where the AAU students and teachers would have the opportunity to interact in a conducive on-campus environment between classes.

15. However, staff being promoted to the professorial cadre were required to surmount all disciplinary cases against them before Council could affirm their accession as Professors.

16. All outstanding staff promotions and employment regularisations in the periods 2017 and 2018 were concluded by Council. Only the 2019 promotions due in 2020 were affected by covid-19.

17. Following reports of indecent and sordid activities being encouraged in the Industrial and Production Engineering and Political Science departments, in February 2020 Council approved two separate committees to review the departmental academic and non-academic activities and submit a report for action. The case reported by Engr. (Mrs) live Okoro remains bewildering.

18. The past practice where AAU academic staff were acting as both contractors and staff in the University was outlawed. All University contracts were to be given to registered 3" parties, not Staff. touring advances given to staff were to be properly accounted for and on time.

INSISTENCE ON DUE PROCESS
Our Council ensured that all high-value projects went through the Tenders Board. The
Chairman AAU Tenders Board was the Vice-Chancellor. As Chairman of the Tenders' board,
the VC has the intimate details of all TETFUND contracts. It is important that the AAU TETFUND account held in UBA Abuja with account num -1022245884 be investigated for
details of AAU project contractors; their owners and funds paid out. The government needs to pierce the corporate veil to know the role played by VC and his cronies in contract execution industrial harmony was encouraged and promoted through Council fair and even-handed decisions and the involvement of staff unions in conflict resolution.

3 All cases brought to the attention of the Council were investigated by Council committees and
sanctions and rewards were apportioned without fear or favor.

4. The staff disciplinary committees were mandated to expeditiously handle cases brought to their attention to avoid delayed consideration of disciplinary infractions.

5. A review of staff files found several cases of age falsification and staff who shamefully altered their dates of birth as many as 3, 4, 5, and 6 times. The falsification of staff records is a punishable offense and these staff were sent to the staff disciplinary committee.

6. Many staff who graduated from their Universities since June 1973 were also found not to have the NYSC discharge or exemption certificates in their files and this constitutes illegality in Nigeria. This staff was also sent to the disciplinary committee.

7. The University management was mandated to refrain from highhandedness in the handling of staff and must follow due process to avoid expensive litigations being suffered by AAU.

8. Council established a systematic process for setting up new departments and faculties based on both financial and environmental justifications unlike in past years. The dept. of Mass communication is undergoing the approval process and campus radio/TV is underway.

9. A comprehensive review of all University courses was carried out to make them marketable and relevant in the marketplace.

10. council founded that the Entrepreneurship Development Centre was operating outside of
University requirements and yet was shielded by the VC. The Centre was being critically reviewed by Council before the Covid-19 crisis final audit of this unit is outstanding.

11. Council found the financial management practices of the former VC and Bursar very strange and opaque one Bursar was questioned for paying AAU monies into the private accounts of VC personal assistants and he claimed the VC approved the practice. In this way, the funds of the University were recklessly abused. The statements of the Zenith Bank Savings accounts of Christopher Omo-Iribhogbe and Eugene Eraikhuemen covering the period June 1, 2016, to May 10, 20,21 should be tendered to see the actual amounts of AAU funds transferred into their accounts. The amount could be more than NI billion. From January 2020 to date Council lost track of these accounts due to the Covid-19 pandemic/ASUU strike.

12. Council was concerned about the handling of students' grades by the ICT directorate. Council approved the recommendations of the ICT service provider that the exam results of
students should be uploaded directly into the University portal by the respective lecturers the departmental and faculty boards had approved the results. This was to avoid the corrupt practice where all students' marks were first sent to the lCT director, who reviewed the results before posting them on the University portal, The ICT director in a scheme to enrich himself and his co-lecturers while corrupting the quality of the Grades and killing academic standards.

13. Council also had a running battle with the management over the actual number of university students. he figures from the Registrar's office never tallied with the figures from the ICT.
Students' numbers always varied between 34,000 and 37,000 students. The explanation was that many who called themselves students did not register for courses or paid tuition fees Council then resolved that students' class registration and payment of tuition fees must De Did and a print-out must be generated to so confirming a successful operation. It is necessary to monitor this system. The past VC was indifferent.

Similarly, the quantum of tuition fees paid should tally with the student's number
students' number is understated the quantum of fees would be understated. AAU revenue comes from government subvention, tuition fees, hostel fees, acceptance fees, post JAMB
fees, fees from primary and secondary schools, earnings from AAU Owned companies, and endowments. With an accurate students' number AAU annual self-generated revenue is about NGbillionn, enough to operate with minimal subvention as found out by our Council.

15. In the years of 2018/2019, 2020/2019 and 2020/2021 the acceptance fees paid by new
should alone was not less than N1.95 billion. Some Govt. officials and the VC frustrated the Council's choice of independent external auditors. They feared that their hidden transactions would be exposed by the skilled audit team of Messrs. Patrick Oshiobugie and Co.

16. The financial resources inherent in AAU are immense and an estimated annual internally generated revenue of over N5.5 billion exclusive of government subvention is huge. Council was determined to monitor these funds but VC used his contacts in government to frustrate efforts.

17. Cases of reckless employment by management were discouraged but the VC was impervious. In February 2020, Council was forced to cancel the VC's advertisement of vacancies for over 1,200 positions. A systematic approach of need identification, skillsets requirements, and then advertisement was approved. Covid-19 did not allow a follow-up.

18. Council discovered anomalies in the number of AAU staff. Over 200 staff names not on the University payroll received emoluments as approved by the VC but Council was not allowed to conclude its investigations.

19. Council transparently auctioned disused vehicles and scrap metals that littered the campus at Ekpoma and all of the accrued funds were approved to rebuild the abandoned 18 LGA bungalows in the University. As of February 202,0, two of the bungalows had been rehabilitated but the council's follow-up was truncated.

20. Council Chairman and members received sitting allowances for attending meetings.
Transport expenses were settled and lunch was served at meetings. Current Council entitlements were fixed in 2016 by the Council chaired by Prof. G. I. Akenzua. The Chairman
is entitled to a car, security back-up van, 30-day annual leave, business class ticket, estacode at the rate enjoyed by federal permanent secretaries, medical coverage, and a one-off furniture allowance. On June 30, 202,1 AAU bought a Land Cruiser for the Chairman; current version of the model allocated to Prof Akenzua in 2013. All preceding Pro-Chancellors had Jeeps glven them from Governor's office. But AAU bought our Chairman's car under lease.
.

The staff of the Ambrose Alli University today took to the street to protest unpaid salary.

A senior lecturer from the faculty of Environmental sciences cried out as his family no longer sees him as a man due to his incapability to take care of his family


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuMaJs3wG3k

Edo State Government Bullies Protesting Staff Despite The Inability To Pay Salaries

*.....university activates on stand still as Unions insist on strike actions

....Big Joe parks deserted as student fails to resume

Today was a sad day as students watched their supposed fathers and mothers, lecturers, and tutors being bullied with tear gas by the Edo state police and PUWOV popularly known as Obaseki police. over agitation for their salaries arrears.

Staffs on arrival to the congress venue which was scheduled to take place at the University main gate were dispersed by men of the police force using teargas and threaten with guns

The Union lamented the negligence of the state government over staff salaries saying the state government reduced the University subvention from 271Million to 197 million to 94Million and now 41million respectively making it difficult for the university to fund itself

In a video recorded by the chapter's vice-chairman who lamented the agony and pain, she is currently going through being unable to take care of her aged mother, children, and family at large. She also lamented how nobody wishes to borrow the staff of Ambrose Alli University money because of already accumulated debt.

Speaking with a senior student stakeholder of the university on the lingering crises he said

"My Dad is a senior professor at Usman Danfodo University and I know what we face at home when he is being owed salaries not to talk of families who both husband and wife are earning from the same school"

He further said that "going by my struggle experience you don't win all bargains now since this people are agitating for 5 months the state government should pay 2 months and see if they won't come back to work but asking them to resume without anything us out of place and uttermost rascality because their 61days strike will be in vain"

It should be recalled that the staff of Ambrose Alli University under the umbrella of ASUU and JAC went on strike over 5 months of unpaid salaries and 13 Month Checkoff since March 24th, 2021 [ASUU] and October 17, 2020[JAC].

The Union chapters vowed to remain resolute until their demands are met.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcWmFAvhzgk


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHuGQ2uds7E


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFZE2HcAYw4

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPQcXYNACa5/?utm_medium=copy_link

extol1:
Nigeria don't value education

Rather the government don't.....

University education in any clime requires huge capital outlay. And as it is a common knowledge, universities are not established for profit making but for the purpose of knowledge advancement.

Even those that have been established by prominent and well-meaning Nigerians, will not realize the dividends of their investment until after 30 to 50 years.

If an individual wants quick economic returns on a business, the person needs not go into university business because such investment is for the future of young generation.

As a university proprietor, you are involved in the training of leaders of tomorrow.

Logically speaking, running a university is not like going to Onitsha or Aba Market, where you pick an item from the shelve for N3 and sell for N10, thus making a profit of N7.

It is rather unfortunate that a great university as AAU which is about the 3rd in the list of state universities established in the 80s to have been brought so low by a governor who is supposedly an alumnus of the foremost university in Nigeria, the great University of Ibadan.

Ambrose Ali University formerly known as Bendel State University (BENSU) was founded and nurtured by Ali of blessed memory, and successive governors including Chief John Odigie Oyegun, Prof. Osunbor , Chief Lucky Igbinedion, and the restless Comrade Adams Oshiomole, and even the past military administrators financed the university.

The question to ask is, what will Governor Godwin Obaseki gain from embarking on stealthy liquidation of AAU?

The wage bill of the university is #474,000,000 on monthly basis. The governor was initially giving the Management of AAU #271,000,000 as subvention, which means they had to augment monthly to pay workers’ salaries.

Obaseki then reduced the amount to #96, 000, 000 and further reduced it to a paltry #41,000,000 now. Where and how does he want the management to get money to finance the institution? How can AAU pay staff salaries with meager #41,000,000 in today’s Nigeria?

Ladies and gentlemen, we are bearing witness to the systematic dissection of AAU by Obaseki. It’s only a matter of time, perhaps, before the university goes into extinction.

Since 2021 began, AAU has been on strike. The non-teaching staff-Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) have been on strike for the better part of 2021. They were merely paid half salaries after months of untold hardship.

Now, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has joined their counterpart in the strike due to same problem, owed salaries, grinding academic activities completely.

The great AAU has become a shadow of it former self. The place now look dilapidated and abandoned. It looks like a grave yard all thanks to the charismatic Governor Obaseki.

If AAU were a political venture, Obaseki will not hesitate to finance it. Regrettably, the average politician is not altruistic in terms of policy conception and behavioral tendencies.

The average politician in Nigeria, of which Obaseki perfectly fits the bill is an exemplum of the selfish inclination of mankind. A politician can spend or do whatever it takes to get power. It is only on rare occasions you see some politicians doing things that will enhance the well-being of the poor masses.

It is unfortunate that Obaseki allegedly spent #6billion to purchase ticket from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) when he was denied ticket in the All Progressives’ Congress (APC) just to satisfy his ego or being referred to as two time governor of Edo State.

Again, haven being re-elected as a two time governor, it will cost him nothing to provide quality leadership to the people of Edo State. He was re-elected to provide services to enhance the well-being of Edo people.

Edo is one of the front line Southern states, where people yearn for education like a running stream. It is one of those states where the younger ones want to acquire education since they know it will provide the pathway to enhance their own future existence.

The management of AAU should write to NUC to intervene in the matter. If they decide to write to the Edo State Assembly, it will be an effort in futility because the state House of Assembly is rubber stamp.

The Assembly cannot call Obaseki to order. In fact, governors dictate to state Assemblies what to do. Alternatively, the AAU authorities should embark on fund raising ceremonies.

AAU has great alumni’s like Tony Elumelu, Aisha Buhari, Wife of the President, Festus Keyamo, Ali Baba, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, Don Jazzy and co because this is the time the institution needs their help, not support as the institution is going into extinction.

The time to act is now. The great AAU should not be left to die. It will be a great disservice not just to humanity but to the black race. AAU was a pathfinder in the provision of education in the old Bendel State.

Those who were denied admission into federal universities because of the prevalent quota system, found solace in the then BENSU and its been performing its role until now.

It is even more unfortunate that in the run up to its 40th anniversary, AAU is embroiled in interminable crisis, occasioned by poor financial provision by the supposed Visitor and Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki.

Another reason why this embarrassing scenario is playing out now is due to the establishment of Edo State University, Iyamho. It is wrong for any state to contemplate the idea of having more than one state university, except the state is very rich.

Even when the state is very rich, it is still difficult because education is financial intensive. Maybe, if Iyamho wasn’t established, it would have been much more easier to finance the sole university at Ekpoma.

Sadly, due to political considerations, AAU is bearing the brunt. Oshiomole wanted to score a political point too by leaving a permanent legacy for Etsako people, his own people.

Obaseki should raise money to finance AAU or best go to the capital market to secure a loan. Edo people should cry out like women in travail, particular the Esan people on whose land the varsity is located.

Arrange in hierarchy who goes first?

Mod please move to the right trend

lalasticalala fynestboi mynd44 seun

Yesterday all staffs Union of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma barricaded the major entrance into the university over the lingering strike action

Dr M.L Igbafen led ASUU insisted that yesterday was tagged freedom day and as such no activities including the supposed inaugural lecture Will hold.

Recall
https://www.nairaland.com/6518344/strike-what-going-aau-omawunmi


Video
https://www.instagram.com/tv/COPtDnoACto/?igshid=1g6y38ud97ae5


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IO4MGKC3Img


https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3689749361135340&id=100003009364285


lalasticalala

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Meanwhile the immediate past senate President DSTG. SEN ALARI EDOSA of the Students union Government while responding to a claim and countering the online protest he said thus

I’m not seeing the phone numbers of the right persons we should engage and send messages to here!

Why should we engage Godwin Obaseki?

Who has been paying staff salaries?

Who did we pay our fees to?

Who promised us that we will hear from him on a particular Tuesday some weeks ago?

Let’s be rational here! It’s the university management that we should demand our lectures from!

If the university management insists that it is because of the reduction in Subvention they are not able to carry out their responsibilities of paying staff salaries then they should protest we will support them!

Till date, this ASUU strike is already going close to a month and I have not seen a clip of any management staff saying it boldly that the non-payment of staff salaries is as a result of Edo state Government reducing Subvention?

The management can not continue to keep silence and allow students or use students to fight their battles!

They should speak up and we will gladly support and until they speak up publicly it is them that we should hold responsible because they were the ones we paid our fees to and not Godwin Obaseki

My humble submission

Yesterday Singer Omawunmi, an Alumus of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma joined thousands of students to protest on twitter demanding for the intervention of the state government in the state owned institution.

Recall that the Academic ,Senior staffs and Non Academic have been on strike for over 3months which made all activities in the University paralysed.

Student protested 3years in a level , 3years house rent wasted and many more.

In her quote she said:

What is going on in AAU? Medical students have been tagging me in their posts crying from frustration...someone said they have been in one level for 3years! What's going on? #SaveAauEducationalsystem #saveAAUmedicalschool

https://twitter.com/Omawumi/status/1384981449867149313?s=19

The Management of Ambrose Alli University last week reiterated that the state government promises to pay up by April 30th 2021 hence all student are to keep calm till the said date.

Students of the Ambrose Alli University vowed to take to the street if the state Government refuses to keep to her words by 30th of April

Also recall that staffs are being owed 4month full salaries, 12months ½ deductions ,Earned allowances and check off in which speculations says it is over 3Bilion Naira.

Four years down the Lane, Nigerians are asking for the update on Evans the criminal

ASUU STRIKE; 270 Days At Home, What Have You Achieved?

Ebenezer2021:
the op is a student of AAU ekpoma and the news is fake cos I heard uniport is writing exams

U heard ? Oga dey aren't

Tony142:
uniport is not on strike, my friend school there, they are writing exams

Re verify

UNIPORT vote in favour of the strike says FG offer not enough

OPEN LETTER TO THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF EDO STATE HIS EXCELLENCY GOVERNOR GODWIN N OBASEKI ,

November 20, 2020
His Excellency,
Godwin .N. Obaseki
The Executive Governor,
Edo state.

Dear Sir,
BENIN-AUCHI EXPRESSWAY : A DEATH TRAP
My frail heart continues to break and my eyes reduced to tears with every passing day as tens of hundreds Edolite continue to wallow in an unimaginable life of hopelessness, helplessness and haplessness; thousands of them have long forgotten the meaning of ‘happiness’, innumerable died and continue to die of the unending physical and emotional trauma and several other family ties of the victims torn apart basically due to incessant cases of abductions.

Never in the history of Edo state has such rising wave of the menacing social monster of kidnapping been witnessed, so prevalent that the media outlets have begun to treat reportage on it with levity so worse that it no longer makes a hot breaking news as it used to be.

The problem therefore continues to be a commonplace, with cases of wanton abductions along Benin-Auchi Expressway becoming widespread like a wildfire. Yet, a plethora of cases would go underreported or unreported at all. Everyone’s life is at stake (insecurity to one is insecurity to all) with the exception of those few sacred cows who ply the deplorably dreaded roads in heavily armed convoys.
Why must we therefore, remain silent and feign ignorance of this wholesale calamity? Why can we not battle and combat harder until the criminal underworld and their masterminds are rooted out and prosecuted accordingly? How much longer should we continue to bow to the wanton sacrilege meted out by these marauding villains called kidnappers? Mr State Government has to bring forth the most effective and lasting solutions to these societal ills before the situation degenerates into an intractable phase. The time is now, and it is now or never for the State Government to pursue the much needed counter-kidnapping operation!! Or we will be forced to barricade the Benin-Auchi Expressway which will prevent movement but save life’s

NIDSUG, have vociferously condemned the diabolic act and demand same from the state government in addition to the compelling needs to swiftly set the necessary machineries to motion in bringing the savages to their heels.
From the look of things, ruthless kidnapping is assuming not only endemic shape, but also becoming a burgeoning lucrative and money-spinning venture with many invisible profiteers. Despite all the military operations and other security agencies’ patrols going on, the menacing social monster keeps flourishing with every single minute that elapses – the good job these security agencies are doing is not good enough and thus the need to work harder and make new strategies by injecting more financial and technical commitment into the operation and forging a robust media-security synergy and efficient mode of information handling and reporting.

And, may I have the honour to remind his excellency that over 23 Ambrose Alli University,Ekpoma Student has since been kidnapped and over 75Million paid as Ransome and the number one duty of a state governor is to protect the live and property of its citizen– I feel enlivened any time I remember this due to the fact that I never doubt the Governors sincerity and integrity. We still hold on to the hope instilled on you.

On the final note, my prayer goes to the victims, family and all those afflicted by the menace of abduction, we therefore implore your excellency sir, to bring together all the necessary tools to rescue Edo state in captivity and to fish out all perpetrators and bring them to book, so as to reap what they sow and as a deterrent as well.

________________________
Thompson Jotham
NIDSUG EDO STATE PRO

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Lalasticala

Nigerians have taken to Twitter to drag one Miss Adebayo Oyiza, the 18-year-old student of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, who was allegedly kidnapped last week.

CAMPUS GIST recalls how the alleged kidnapping of Oyiza made headlines, with her abductors said to be demanding N100 million ransom.

According to reports, Oyiza, a 200 level medical student of AAU was kidnapped on transit near Kogi state by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

A voice note said to be the conversation between her abductors and lover in Hausa made the rounds where Oyiza could be heard in a weak, broken voice supposedly traumatized.

Four days after what seemed like a staged kidnap, Oyiza reportedly escaped the claws of her kidnappers claiming she "trekked" all the way from Kogi to Edo like agent Flash.

Shortly after her 'dramatic' escape, Oyiza took to Facebook to make an announcement that apparently didn’t go well with people who have been worked up over her alleged kidnap.

She simply wrote: “Wagwan”, on her wall, a Bini language CAMPUS GIST understands is translated into "What's going on" in English language.

The statement raised eyebrows as many said anyone who just left captivity would be too traumatized to post on social media immediately after her release.

In another post, agent 'Flash' Oyiza debunked her kidnapping rumours, saying she has been sick and never sent any distress message to anyone.

“I can’t write essay I no fit till further notice. I’m very unwell. Cruise? So did I come online to post I was kidnapped or I called one person to please reach out and help me that I got kidnapped?,” she wrote.

Oyiza went ahead to tackle all claims that she staged her kidnap saying she has been in school and her parents are aware of her whereabouts.

“I had an health issue and I was going to fix and I got napped’ on the road, if you stay in Okene or know anyone there, stroll go parks or police station and ask them what happened I haven’t been in Lagos since protest started.

"I’ve been in school and my parents are aware of that, I didn’t run from home, didn’t plan anything.

"The TV noise in the recording, release it let’s hear.
"Let me type this one in peace.
"Then you can now do as you like.
"Wagwan was wrong!

"Me trying to create threads but people kept dragging and my evil spirit is controlling me.

"You need to understand that I can’t type the long essay on a go, it’s bits by bits.

"First off
I’m sorry, I don’t know how to behave.

"Secondly
I’m sorry if I made you loose anything or make people come at you.

"Thirdly
I’m beyond grateful for help and prayers.
So grateful!

"No money is with me, the voice note going around, God bless the person for adding fuel to fire, people bringing old conversations and remixing storyline, special shout out, people claiming what they’re not to me and putting me in more trouble, hugs and kisses.

"If I wanted to chase clout, I for post or I for call many people, I only called three people on the first day, and I started receiving many calls checking on me and I know someone I called put out the nappers’ number which was a good thing, to an extent, the people that kept asking for me where much and made the nappers’ think I had lots of people to gimme so why not bill her."

CAMPUS GIST, however, observed that Oyiza's statements did not go down well with her friends, as many insisted she was chasing clouts.

Some have joined the call for Oyiza to be arrested and prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others who may want to pull similar kidnapping drama.

A social media user alleged that Oyiza intended to use the N100 million to travel to the United Kingdom with her lover assuming she succeeded.

A Facebook user, identified as Boda GigGle narrated how he noticed something "fishy" when he reached out to the family of Oyiza.

The user in a bid to use his platform to help out, contacted Oyiza’s alleged brother who referred him to her ‘dad’ and the story took a different turn from there.

See screenshots of their conversations as obtained by CAMPUS GIST.

https://www.facebook.com/adebayo.oyiza.50

https:///qi8YX5jptH

https://afemaireporters.com.ng/2020/11/01/how-18-year-old-student-who-was-reportedly-kidnapped-allegedly-faked-it-details/

https://campusgist.com.ng/2020/11/01/kidnapped-aau-student-exposed-for-allegedly-faking-her-kidnap-for-n100m/

Kidnap me I am your oyiza

Lalasticala seun mynd44 the lives of some of your members lies in your hands

Play your part and do the needful

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Obinoscopy
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Mynd44
TheRealMrStan
Ishilove

Please grant to front page. The FG must be aware

Dear @PoliceNG @PoliceNG_CRU ,
This is to notify you that the #BeninAuchiExpressway is no longer safe for travellers.

In a space of two weeks we recorded 5 kidnappings.

#BeninAuchiExpressway is now a dead zone as travellers fear for their dear lives when traveling

The commissioner of Police Edo State made it clear that it is. Beyond is power (what an irony)

We are calling on you to as a matter of urgency release a press statement and #RescueEdo #RescueUs

#RescueOyiza was kidnapped on that same road and the kidnappers are demanding for 100M as Ransome. This is a young girl who is striving for a better life

It is becoming obvious that the @PoliceNG are deliberately staying off the #BeninAuchiExpressWay just to thwart the ...

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If you put SARS and Yahoo in the same sentence, I see you as an intellectually dumb person tbh. You've seen over 2000 videos of police brutality and harrasment, how many videos have you seen of SARS doing their real job? How many times have SARS actually intercepted a kidnapping or challenged armed robbers. It is a special anti robbery squad ffs.. They should operate like SWAT, GIGN, etc.

Nobody is saying End EFCC! You people just go to school but you actually don't think.


In saner climes, you monitor Cyber Space, track a fraudster and arrest him and charge him to court. How many Yahoo boys have SARS charged to court? Can they even? That's not their jurisdiction. They just collect bribe and the Yahoo boy goes back to the street. How does that solve shit? This is not a fight for Yahoo boys, it is a fight for humanity. If we actually want to fight Cyber crime, we would step up cyber surveillance by EFCC..


Some of you just come online but leave your brain offline!