OPEN LETTER TO PROF. WAHAB EGBEWOLE, SAN, THE VICE CHANCELLOR, UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN, ILORIN, NIGERIA
Sir,
CHAPTER CHAIRMEN OF THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION DISAGREE WITH YOUR POSITION ON THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AT THE MEETING HELD WITH THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND OTHERS ON FRIDAY, 31ST MARCH, 2023.
Our attention has been drawn to the recent meeting called by your office on the 31st of March, 2023, at the Council Chamber of the University.
It took us by surprise when informed by members of the National Executive Committee that you pronounced that the National Executive Committee led by Dr S. O. Fasakin duly elected by Congress on 7th March, 2020, be dissolved and, subsequently, appointed certain persons unknown by the Association’s system and Constitution as members of an Organizing Committee of a proposed ‘Unity Convention’.
The Unilateral dicision taken by the Vice Chancellor in that regard is unacceptable to the authentic members of the Association.
As Chairmen of Chapters duly recognized by our existing legal Constitution, we contend that the Vice Chancellor can only act as a stakeholder not and over riding decision maker entity in matters of the Association. Also, we considered it inappropriate that the Vice Chancellor did not invite or involve any of us, as stakeholders, too, in the meeting held on the said Friday, the 31st of March, 2023, that was supposed to be a reconciliation/settlement out of court meeting.
Consequently, we hereby dissociate ourselves from the purported actions taken by the Vice Chancellor who supposed to be the leader of everyone, but did not present himself so as reflected by his said pronouncement which favoured particular contending sides in the dispute than it does by an inch that of the National Executive Committee which we duly recognized and acknowledged.
*One would have expected, as a way to genuine reconciliation, a situation where the existing National Executive Committee will complete their term in office with necessary adjustment for every member of the Association to participate.*
We have instructed the members of the National Executive Committee to not take part in the activities of the said ‘Unity Convention Committee’ herein referred to because it seek to truncate the four year tenure of the National Executive Committee which we consider as inappropriate and the approach to it alien to the existing Constitution of the Alumni Association.
For a true reconciliation/settlement to be acknowledged, justice, equal right and fair play must be seen to have taken place.
As said many times in the course of this contention, we are committed to insisting on the auditing of the Association’s account by a reputable external auditing firm from year 2015 to date.
Certain individual in this matter should be getting ready to explain their involvement in the illegal taking over of the Association’s bank account at the University’s Micro Finance Bank, UBA and FCMB since year 2021.
In light of the above, the University via the office of the Vice Chancellor is assisting the culprits who, illegally, withdrew several millions of naira from the said Association’s account by:
i. using their influence in the University Campus to instruct the said banks to lien (frozen) the account of the Association and
ii. Turn round, immediately, to start withdrawing money in millions of naira from the same liened (frozen) account without any change of signatory.
It is this happening at the University of Ilorin that is just teaching us and the entire world that it is possible and practicable for banks to lien (frozen) an Association’s account without a competent court order, but by mere instruction from lecturers who work in the University and who, again, turned around to start withdrawing money from the said account without a due process of change of signatory. It is like the VC is trying to assist the perpetrators to cover up such illegal and ignominious act via the pronouncement made by him at the said March meeting.
We want to take it in good faith that the VC is not aware of the above revelation on the activities of certain persons in the University and, particularly, the Unilorin Micro Finance Bank.
Now that you have been informed of it, sir, anyone would consider it expedient and most appropriate that your office address that rather than to appear to assist in its cover up and drum for a convention of unity where corruption and injustice thrive.
While imploring our members to remain calm in the tirade of this provocation as you are aware that this matter has been withdrawn from the court following the advice by the presiding Judge in the case, also by a request made by the VC and subsequent meetings by the National Executive Committee with the Vice Chancellor who promised to do justice to the matter.
Sir, this position adopted by your office as projected at the said meeting does not reflect justice or equity.
However, we still believe that all contending issues can still be amicably resolved if another system that accommodate justice and equity is adopted.
*In this regard, we request that a meeting of stakeholders comprising of chairmen of chapters be called urgently to fashion out a way forward.*
We are willing to join hands with the Chancellor, the Pro-Chancellor and all stakeholders to urgently intervene in this matter in order to arrest this avoidable sad development which has brought the image of our dear alma mater into disrepute.
In conclusion *and in the meantime the necessary and fair steps are taken,* this open letter serves as our affirmation of the belief in the *elected* Fasakin led Executive Committee and our resolve to continue to regard him as the National President of our prestigeous Association.
Signed by Chapter Chairmen of the Alumni. Association;
1. Oyo
2. Ogun
3. Osun
4. Ondo
5. Kogi
6. River
7. Ekiti
8. Benin
9.Abuja .
Cc:
1. Chancellor
2. Acting Pro Chancellor
3 The President, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)
