Governing council directs provost to “step aside,” appoints replacement

Governing Council of the Federal College of Education, Technical (FCET) has announced the appointment of Isaac Miller as the institution's Acting Provost.

In an internal memo dated Wednesday, citing FCE/T/AK/RO/IM/2/206 and signed by college registrar Rasheed Dada, the council said Wahab Aziz “must resign” from the post of provost with effect from July 31.

This is a response to the ongoing crisis in the college which has been going on for over three months and erupted into violence on Monday when some staff and students allegedly attacked the Chairman of the Governing Council, Olatunde Adenuga, and other council members, vandalising cars and properties.

The Lagos State Police Command also confirmed the arrest of 32 persons in connection with the violence.

The statement said, “The college community is hereby informed that at the inaugural meeting of the 8th Governing Council of the college on Tuesday, 30th July 2024, the council directed that Wahab Ademola Azeez should step down as the Provost of the college with effect from 31st July 2024.”

“As a result of the above, the Council at the same meeting unanimously resolved to appoint Dr. Isaac Oluwatoyin Miller as Acting Provost with immediate effect.”

Background story

Some unions, which have been protesting on the campus since May 27, had shut down the office of the college provost Wahab Aziz, and issued him a notice to vacate his official residence during his tenure.

The protest was organised under the aegis of “concerned employees” led by the Senior Staff Union of Colleges of Education (SSUCON), FCET chapter and other unions.

The protesters stressed that with the amendment to the Educational Colleges Act 2023, which introduced a single five-year term for provosts and other principal officers of colleges, Mr. Azeez’s tenure had ended on May 26.

The Provost, however, said he was appointed for a first term of four years in 2019 and had resumed his second term on May 27, 2023, even before the amended Act was signed on June 12, 2023, after being duly reappointed by the Governing Council of the institution in 2023.

Following letters from the unions seeking clarification on the provost’s tenure based on the amended Act, Education Minister Tahir Mamman wrote to the unions confirming the validity of Mr Azeez’s second term of four years.

Also read: FCET crisis: Governing Council chairman, others flee as prolonged protest turns violent

The protesters ignored the minister's decision and continued to protest daily on the campus, preventing management members from entering their offices.

Subsequently, Mr Mamman led by the Minister of State for Education, Yusuf Sununu, met with the warring parties in Abuja and a solution was reached.

Proposals

Despite the signing of the resolutions passed at the reconciliation meeting chaired by Mr Sununu, some FCET staff continued to threaten confrontation when Mr Azeez returns to office.

The proposals signed by representatives of the Ministry, Governing Council and staff unions included reopening of the office of the Provost of the college and returning him to his office.

The meeting ordered the long-running protest by the workers to be ended and the Governing Council headed by Olatunde Adenuga was asked to hold a meeting with the workers to discuss the issues.

The meeting also ordered the new council to investigate concerns raised by staff, including the alleged misuse of funds sanctioned for fencing the college and the appointment of the college bursar.