The management of Federal University Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), Ekiti State, Nigeria has risen in defence of its Pro-Chancellor and Chairman Governing Council, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba SAN regardless of blatant lies and falsehoods being spread against him, insisting that there was no bases for allegations of “financial recklessness, abuse of power and gross maladministration” in the university.
Besides, it said contrary to allegations being bandied by Sahara Reporters, which had spread across social media and traditional media platforms, the university Pro-Chancellor had no undue interference in the day-to-day running of the university saved matters brought before him and the Council by the university management.
Accordingly, allegations of “financial recklessness, abuse of power, hijacking the day-to-day running of the university and approving the purchasing of building outside the university at a staggering cost of N900 million were fictitious, unfounded and baseless.
While the university was handling issues of delayed salary and the relocation allowances, the management also dismissed issue of “approval of #128million for the Vice-Chancellor’s leave allowance, describing it as lies from the pit of hell.
Also, on the issue of Council “to approve N900 million for the purchase of a building outside the university campus,” the university management also refuted, saying it was farther from the truth.
The university is on course without any distractions, said the management.
“We will remain undeterred and unwavering in our resolve to steer the university to greater heights regardless of any attack by purveyors of fake news, it added.
Besides, it dismissed with a wave of hand allegations of “abuse of power, hijacking the day-to-day administration and approving the purchase of building outside the university at a staggering cost of #900millions,” as being spread in a viral report by Sahara Reporters, saying there was no basis for such as the management of the university had repositioned the ivory tower for optimal progress ahead of the 2024/2025 academic session.
The university management said in a release by the university Registrar, Mr . Mufutau Ibrahim through Public Relations Officer, Mr. Foluso Ogunmodede, saying there was no abuse of power, hijacking the day-to-day running of the university, approving the purchase of building outside the university at a staggering cost of #900millions” as
the Pro-Chancellor, Distinguished Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba SAN and the Governing Council had in no small measure contributed immensely to the advancement of the university community.
Accordingly, the university had leverage on the inputs by the Pro-Chancellor and other members of the Council including the substantive Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina to advance the course of the university, describing Sahara Reporters’ series of lies against the university and its officers as unfounded and baseles.
All these allegations were being bandied with a view to distracting attention by the Council Chairman and other members of Governing Council on their genuine focus to achieve seamless transition programmes in the appointment of a new Vice-Chancellor in February 2026 after the expiration of the tenure of the university substantive Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Fasina.
It reads: “We read with a great deal of dismay and utter distress the malicious write-up again published on the website of the Sahara Reporters and we are unequivocal in our conclusion that the story was deliberately contrived to embarrass the Federal University Oye Ekiti and to cast aspersion on the integrity of the Governing Council as well as the personalities of the Council Chairman.
“The said publication is laced with outright falsehoods and gives not even a shred of evidence to backup all, or any of the weighty allegations that it contains.
“The allegations that the Council Chairman, Distinguished Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba deliberately suppressed staff appeals to Council, including those with genuine cases and was engaged in a witch-hunt and “financial recklessness” is not only false but a calculated attempt to further cause confusion and blackmail the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman Governing Council.
“While the publication in Sahara Reporters intends to mislead the general public to the jaundiced assumption that there’s “abuse of power, financial recklessness” in FUOYE, the reality and the truth of the matter is that the university has been operating in a harmonious and tranquil atmosphere.
“All efforts of the Governing Council to ensure peace in the university are yielding positive results at the moment.
“Only those who have resolved to destabilise the system are still making negative reports about the university.
“The allegation of interference in day-to-day administration are totally false. It will interest the public to note that the same Governing Council being alleged of suppression of staff appeals constituted a peace and reconciliation committee that received over fifty complaints from staff and all of them have been satisfactorily handled. Relevant documents are available to substantiate this.
“We want to state that the Governing Council knows its functions and responsibilities as enshrined in the university Establishment Act and other relevant laws, therefore it is not interfering in the day-to-day running of the university.
“Finally, the university has benefited from the wide-wealth of experience of the Pro-Chancellor, a Senior Advocate with 47 years of experience in the Bar, 21 of them as Senior Advocate of Nigeria and extensive experience in the leadership of the National Assembly as Deputy Senate Leader and Leader of the Senate.
“To say that such a rich profile does not appear to understand the university Establishment Act is to say the least, stuff of the charlatans.
“Consequently, the Governing Council is appealing to those who never see anything good in the university to desist from tarnishing the good name of FUOYE and join hands with us to develop FUOYE to the university of our dreams.
“FUOYE has recorded outstanding achievements which clearly Sahara Reporters is not interested in.”
Sahara Reporters -the purveyors of falsehood has again launched its usual missile of lies against FUOYE following its report entitled “Nigerian Varsity FUOYE Workers Stage Protest, Pass Vote of No Confidence On Governing Council Led By Senator Ndoma-Egba.”
To put the record straight, it’s obvious that there exists no hijacking of the day-to-day administration, approving the purchase of building outside the university at a staggering cost of #900million as at no time the Pro-Chancellor never interfered in administrative process of the university except where there were infractions which would involve the entire Council to take a democratic and collective decision.
Instead, the university prioritised workers welfare as main issue of relocation allowances is on the front burner including other allowances.
In other words, Sahara Reporters’ missile of lies failed to hit its target again especially as there was no abuse of power, financial recklessness and gross maladministration going on in the university.
However, FUOYE has risen above any unforeseen circumstances, emerging stronger especially in the last five months of the tenure of the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olubunmi Shittu without any encumbrance or being teleguided by any supposed powers from above.
Professor Shittu has been responsible for the day-to-day running of the university as whatever decisions made in conjunction with the two Deputy Vice-Chancellors had been in the collective interest of the university.
Also, FUOYE has never struggled but weathered the storm through concerted efforts of the Council, management, senate, students and other major stakeholders to arrive at its present force to reckon with, favourably competing with first generation universities.
As a matter of fact, FUOYE is consistently ranked as number four most subscribed university in Nigeria after Lagos State University, University of Lagos and the University of Ilorin, 12th in Nigeria in the world university ranking and 38th in the entire Sub-Sahara Africa, according to Times Higher Education (THE).
This is an evidence that the university’s rising academic reputation and global recognition is by no mere coincidence but consistent dint of hard work.
Yet, Sahara Reporters would not see good in the FUOYE’s steady academic rising-reputation other than its obsession with negative narratives which had made Sahara Reporters nothing but Nigeria’s homegrown carriers and merchant of fake news.
It’s surprising that Sahara Reporters takes glory in dishing out fake news about FUOYE without reminiscing about the success story of FUOYE as it continued to spread falsehood against the Pro-Chancellor, Distinguished Senator Ndoma-Egba.
Besides, since on leave in the United States of America, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina had never interfered in the running of the university as he willingly relinquished administrative independence to Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olubunmi Shittu, who had in his effort stabilised the system through steady progress.
The Pro-Chancellor, Senator Ndoma-Egba SAN also played no roles or interfered in administrative day- to-day running of the university as this was an exclusive preserve of the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Shittu.
Also, the university has promoted all members of staff as at when due and currently turning FUOYE into a construction site by driving new buildings such as the Senate Building, Faculty of Law complex, professorial offices in Oye and the Ikole Campuses and sundry buildings.
