Osun State College of Education: Adeleke approves suspension of Provost, clears governing council chairman
appoints acting provost
By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke has approved the immediate suspension of the Provost of College of Education, Ila-Orangun, Prof. Jimoh Afolabi in line with the interim report of the Investigation Panel headed by the Chief of Staff, Hon Kazeem Akinleye.
In a statement signed by the spokesperson to the Governor, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, the Governor also approved the recommendation of the committee that the Chairman of the Governing Council, Dr Peter Babalola should remain in office as there is no proven case of abuse of power or financial wrongdoings against him.
According to the statement, the allegation of over Two Hundred Million Naira fraud leveled against the Council Chairman was found to be unsubstantiated with documentary proof or transaction details.
The statement reads further that , “The cash advance of Three Million Naira to the Council chairman was found to be within the college’s financial regulations with all documentation verified by the committee.
“Based on a thorough review, the committee discovered that the allegation of N200m fraud leveled against the Chairman of the Governing Council is untrue, diversionary, baseless, and fallacious.
“Documentary evidence (voucher) revealed that he only collected a sum of Three Million Naira (N3m) as a cash advance which is officially allowed.
“On the Provost, the Committee reviewed three previous reports of investigations into various allegations of financial malfeasance, abuse of power and corruption leveled against him dating from past administrations to date.
“The Committee after a thorough review of the reports including that of the State House of Assembly alongside its own investigations recommended immediate suspension of the Provost, which is now endorsed by the State Governor.
“Sequel to the findings of the investigative Panel, the Provost of Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun, Prof. Jimoh Atanda Afolabi is hereby suspended on the grounds of financial impropriety, concealment of official information/ records; and failure to update the Governing Council on the important issues of the College.
“The Committee is billed to submit its final report at a later date.”
Meanwhile, the Governor has approved the appointment of Dr Jimoh Lasisi Ayanda as the acting Provost of the College.
Dr Jimoh Lasisi Ayanda holds the following qualifications: National Certificate of Education (English/Islamic Studies (Ila-Orangun, 1990); Bachelor of Arts (Islamic Studies, University of Ilorin, 1996); Masters of Arts, University of Ilorin, 2004) and Ph.D, Islamic Studies( University of Ilorin, 2016)
The acting Provost has spent a cumulative 22 years as a lecturer at the College.
His total number of years of experience as a lecturer in the College of Education sector including years in the Federal College of Education (Special Oyo, Oyo State) is 25 years.
A specialist in Islamic History and Jurisprudence, the acting provost has served the College in various capacities as follows:
● Assistant Secretary, COEASU OSSCE Ila-Orangun 2005-2007
●Secretary COEASU OSSCE Ila-Orangun, 2008- 2010
●Chairman, COEASU OSSCE Ila-Orangun 2010- 2014
●Chairman, Council of Academic Unions of Osun State Tertiary Institutions ( CASUOSTI) 2013- 2016.
The acting appointment takes immediate effect.
