Nigeria’s Federal College Oye-Ekiti Suspends Lecturer After Accusing TETFund Employees Of N10Million PhD Scholarship Fraud

Kamal A. Odunjo-Saka, a lecturer at Federal College Oye-Ekiti, (FUOYE) in Ekiti State has accused the varsity administration of suspending him after exposing three Tertiary Schooling Belief Fund (TETFund) workers members for allegedly embezzling the sum of ₦10 million meant for his international sponsorship.

Odunjo-Saka, a lecturer within the college’s Division of Psychology and a PhD international scholar, described his suspension by the college as “absurd, baseless, illogical, largely unlawful, indefensible, parochial and purely unprofessional”.

The lecturer mentioned he was provided a PhD Programme in a Cyprus college for which he secured TETFund scholarship; nonetheless, he added that a big chunk of the funds was not launched to him.

Based on him, he blew the whistle on three workers members of TETFund who had allegedly been enjoying hide-and-seek with him over the funds for about two years, after it appeared he may lose the chance.

He alleged that the event angered the college authorities and a cycle of witch-hunt of the lecturer cum scholar started, adopted by his suspension.

He mentioned, “My PhD. Sponsorship Award Grant was accepted on 11/11/2020. My research was scheduled to start out in January 2021.

“However, on account of two causes, I couldn’t go away Nigeria till October 2021. The primary motive was TETFund’s delay within the cost of the preliminary tuition deposit, which is a prerequisite by my college in Cyprus for issuing the acceptance letter that might permit me to journey right down to Cyprus.

“Although, after a number of correspondences and explanations, the preliminary tuition deposit of a complete sum of €3,622.50 was paid, out of €8,872.50 accepted for my tuition within the award letter, with a promise that the remaining tuition steadiness of €5,250 could be offset after I get to Cyprus.

“The second motive was COVID-19 pandemic, which induced a journey ban; it wasn’t till it was lifted earlier than I might journey in October 2021.

“Sadly, throughout course registration of my second semester in Could 2022, it was realised that the cash left in my college account was not sufficient to register the variety of required programs for that semester.

“Then, on reaching again to TETFund for the cost of the excellent tuition, it was a impolite shock to listen to from one Mr. Gbenga, who’s a TETFund workers, that the cash had been paid to my college account since March 2021. However, after I requested them for the cost bill for the mentioned quantity in order that I might use it to assert the cost from the college account workplace, as a way to credit score my account accordingly, there got here excuses.

“It was one other impolite shock as that the mentioned Mr. Gbenga rapidly referred me to a different workers member, one Mrs. Layo, who claimed to be accountable for such information. After a number of conversations with out helpful consequence, Mrs. Layo additional referred me to a different workers member, one Mr. Auwal, who they claimed was the boss within the account unit.

“With all these abracadabra and collection of altercations between us, the Mr. Genga lastly opened up in a really ridiculous manner (as a result of they may not present the cost bill for his or her pretend declare) that they only found that the cash they beforehand claimed to have paid ultimately bounced again from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and they might have to reprocess the cost.”

“This ridiculous excuse got here up in October, which was after six months of contacting them for the cost,” Odunjo-Saka defined.

The unlucky flip of occasions introduced his educational pursuits to a grinding halt, because the establishment subsequently closed his scholar portal, successfully ending his research.

He mentioned, “Whereas all these have been happening, my scholar portal was closed by the college; and two warning letters have been despatched to me by my college in Cyprus for doable deportation, as a result of continued accumulation of excellent tuition.

“I used to be compelled to borrow cash to save lots of my studentship after two semesters of zero educational information, on account of TETFund’s failure to offset the excellent tuition.

“In December 2022, I got here again to Nigeria to formally inform my college again residence of my ugly expertise with TETFund. On listening to my story, the college administration wrote two completely different letters on my case, one to my college in Cyprus, asking it to not terminate my studentship, that the method for offsetting the excellent tuition was ongoing.

“The second letter was despatched to TETFund to fast-track the cost process, as additional delay may hinder my research.

“Sadly, I’m now within the seventh semester of the PhD Programme; however as I converse, no single kobo has been paid out of the remaining excellent tuition of the whole sum of €5,250, which is an equal of over N10 million at present trade price.

“Extra painful is the truth that I had quietly began my self-sponsorship and efficiently accomplished the course work a part of a PhD programme I began in 2019 at my alma mater (Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife) with wonderful efficiency within the closing outcomes of my course work, earlier than I used to be granted the TETFund sponsorship on advantage.”

“Surprisingly, after the difficulty appeared within the media, the TETFund authority felt embarrassed; and the subsequent factor was this directive from TETFund that FUOYE administration must difficulty me question for having audacity to reveal the age-long unchallenged monetary fraud within the fee to the general public. It was like a joke when, out of the blue, FUOYE administration despatched me three clueless queries on the identical day,” he mentioned.

The lecturer, subsequently, known as on all “well-meaning Nigerians, notably the revered authorities within the nation’s college area, to come back to my support towards the continuing depraved witch-hunt by the administration of Federal College Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE)”.

The College within the question letter signed by its Registrar, Mufutau A. Ibrahim and obtained by SaharaReporters, famous that the varsity acquired a defamatory publication the lecturer revealed towards three TETFund workers members, accusing them of embezzling the sum of N10 million.

The college requested the lecturer to elucidate in writing why disciplinary motion shouldn’t be taken towards him for flouting the process of inquiry and making false allegations.

It reads partly, “The College Administration has acquired with dismay a report from the Tertiary Schooling Belief Fund (TETFund) of a defamatory publication you revealed towards three (3) TETFund workers accusing them of embezzling the sum of Ten Million Naira (₦10,000,000.00) meant in your sponsorship.

“Administration famous that you’d have contacted the TETFund Unit of the College for clarifications relating to TETFund grant disbursement earlier than the defamatory publication towards the TETFund Employees.

“You’re subsequently requested to elucidate in writing why disciplinary motion shouldn’t be taken towards you for flouting the process of inquiry and for making false allegation via your publication to the general public thereby portray the officers of TETFund in dangerous mild via this medium and likewise bringing the picture of the College into disrepute.

“Your response ought to attain the Workplace of the Registrar inside forty-eight (48) hours of receipt of this memo, and in any case not later than 4:00pm on Tuesday, sixth August, 2024.”

“That is in your info and strict compliance,” it added.

Odunjo-Saka disclosed that he responded to the queries however that the three TETFund workers members had not been capable of proof that his funds had been credited to his account with the Cyprus college, whereas the varsity remained adamant that his tuition had not been paid.

In the meantime, Dr. Wole Balogun, Particular Adviser on Media Issues to FUOYE Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina, advised SaharaReporters that Odunjo-Saka’s suspension was on account of his alleged misconduct and breach of College rules, relatively than his allegations towards TETFund.

He mentioned, “Mr. Saka-Odunjo Adewole’s suspension is because of his misconduct and breach of College rules, relatively than his allegations towards TETFund. Whereas he accused TETFund of a purported ₦10 million fraud, it should be emphasised that these allegations aren’t directed on the Federal College Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE).

“Moreover, investigations performed by the College reveal that the claims are baseless, unsubstantiated, and fully unfounded.

“Mr. Odunjo had earlier knowledgeable the College of an alleged non-payment of a portion of his tuition charges by TETFund. The College suggested him to permit the matter to be appropriately addressed via institutional channels. Nevertheless, opposite to this recommendation, Mr. Odunjo revealed damaging allegations towards TETFund in newspapers, prompting a proper grievance from TETFund to the College.

“Regardless of being cautioned by the College to desist from such actions, Mr. Odunjo continued in publicising his unfounded claims. This resulted within the issuance of queries by the College, which he responded to in a way deemed disrespectful and missing decorum. His replies appeared to problem the authority of the College relatively than addressing the problems raised in knowledgeable and constructive method.

“In mild of those actions, the College, in accordance with its rules, suspended Mr. Odunjo for his misconduct and failure to stick to the establishment’s guidelines. It’s essential to notice that the suspension is unrelated to his allegations towards TETFund, which have been completely investigated and located to lack advantage.

“Relating to the claims of fraud, the College has engaged TETFund on the matter, and findings point out no proof to help such allegations. No official of TETFund has the authority or mechanism to divert funds supposed for beneficiaries.”

“The assertion that Mr. Odunjo’s suspension was a consequence of exposing alleged fraud is each inaccurate and deceptive,” Balogun mentioned.

“We urge him to behave honourably by refraining from making unsubstantiated claims and by adhering to the principles and rules of the College. Constructive engagement and mutual respect are basic to sustaining the popularity and integrity of the establishment.”