The Minister in charge of Good Shepherd Christian Church, Kinnira, Ogbomoso, Rev. Peter Adelowo, has enjoined the Oyo state governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, to review the cases of the sacked principal officers of the Emmanuel Alayande College of Education (EACOED), Oyo, by the past administration of late Senator Abiola Ajimobi.
Addressing the media after the 10th year remembrance service of the passing unto glory of Mrs Taiwo Folasade Alabi (nee Adegbite), late wife of the former Provost of the Emmanuel Alayande College, at the Estate Baptist Church, Oyo, the clergy made the appeal to the governor, urging him to redress the injustice meted out to the Principal officers who alleged they were sack unjustly on political ground.
The management of the state-owned College of Education led by Dr. A. O. Alabi (the Provost), were in 2011 sacked by the former governor of the state, and refused to reinstate them in spite of passionate appeals and political interventions.
The cleric, therefore, appealed to Makinde, whom he described as ‘God-sent’, “to use your good offices to call for the review of the cases of the sacked principal officers of Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo, between 2009 and 2011. Our governor is no doubt sent by God to reposition and bring succour to the state. The appeal becomes imperative because since his coming to power, he had reviewed many similar cases especially as regards the backlog of salary and pensions of workers owed by the immediate past administration.
“There is no doubt that the sacked management officers of Emmanuel Alayande College of Education Oyo were not given fair hearing. Engineer Makinde has received accolades from well- meaning Nigerians, not only Oyo state people, for his welfarist approach to governance and for making policies with human face as against the dictatorship of the ancien regime. Payment of backlog of salaries and emoluments owed workers and pensioners by Ajimobi administration, has warmed Makinde into the consciousness of the people.
“Reviewing the case of the sacked principal officers would put the case at rest since they would be given a fair hearing. If they are found guilty, so be it. I believe that the treatment meted to the officers had political undertone because they were accused of mobilising voters for PDP then. PDP is in power today.
“Alabi and his management were barely two years in office out of their mandatory four years renewable tenure when they were unceremoniously booted out of office. Engineer Seyi Makinde is a man of wisdom and I believe he would know how to bring succour into the life of Alabi and his management who have been made to suffer unjustly for 10 years. Reviewing the case would further increse Makinde’s popularity and God will favour him the more”, Revd. Adelowo prayed.
