Personal interests behind calls for my removal – FCE provost

The embattled Provost of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, Dr Wahab Azeez, says those calling for his removal from office had personal interests.

“Those behind the crisis are doing it to frustrate me so that I can resign, but I stand for justice,” Azeez told our reporter in Lagos.

It was reported that a lingering protest in the college turned violent on Tuesday resulting in the closure of the institution by the Federal Government.

The protest was by some students and staff of the college.

Some aggrieved members of staff of the institution had been calling for the removal of the provost who, they claimed, elongated his tenure.

“The institution has been shut down and students asked to vacate the campus,” he said.

It was reported that the leadership crisis started in May, when some aggrieved staff under the aegis of Concerned Staff, claimed that the tenure of the provost had ended, asking him to step down.

They said that the provost was appointed in 2019 for a four-year term and it elapsed on May 26, 2024.

According to them, President Bola Tinubu, in June 2023, signed a law pegging the tenure of provosts of colleges of education at a single term of five years.

However, Azeez claimed that the law did not affect him.

The provost said that he had already started a second term in office before the law was signed.

Some students, teaching and non-teaching staff of the college, on Tuesday, staged a violent protest when members of the college’s Governing Council led by Dr Adenuga Olatunde were to hold a meeting with both parties in the conflict.

The protesters destroyed some official cars, insisting that Azeez should not enter the college’s premises.

Mr Christopher Olamiju, Deputy Registrar, Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, Lagos State, has urged the Federal Government to intervene in the crisis rocking the institution over agitation for removal of the provost.

Olamiju made the call in an interview with our reporter on Saturday in Lagos.

It was reported that some staff of the college under the aegis of ‘Concerned Staff’ are claiming that the five-year tenure of the Provost, Dr Wahab Azeez, has expired.

The staff said that Azeez should, therefore, vacate the office to usher in a new administration.

According to the deputy registrar, Azeez assumed office on May 26, 2019, and has completed his five-year tenure.

He was reacting to Azeez’s claim of threat of eviction on him by the ‘Concerned Staff’.

The provost had at a news conference on Thursday in Lagos claimed that the threat came from the ‘Concerned Staff’.

According to Olamiju, it is false that the ‘Concered Staff’ embarked on a protest, disrupted academic and administrative activities and attempted unlawful eviction of the provost from his official lodge.

Olamiju said that the provost had claimed that the above happened.

“The provost has served for five years; by law, his tenure has expired.

“Meanwhile, his administration has taken this college 10 years backward. The workers’ unions are concerned about this issue and we are soliciting for his removal.

“We need an acting provost pending when the authorities will appoint a substantive provost.

“It is worthy to note that the same law caught up with the college’s bursar, librarian and the registrar, who observed the law and exited office without any problems.

“Those currently in that position are in acting capacity,” he added.