Dep Provost, KWASU, Unilorin lecturers, 5 others jostle for COED, Ilorin Provost

…as  Opobiyi bows out, April

By Adebayo Olodan

For five years, Dr Saka Isiaka Opobiyi dictated the affairs of Kwara State College of Education (COED), Ilorin.
Until his appointment as provost of the institution on May 1, 2013, he was a lecturer at the department of Chemistry at the college.
Come April 2018, the Governing Council of the college is expected to name a successor to take over the administration of the college from Opobiyi as the latter would have completed a five year term.
As at the last count, no fewer than eight academics across three tertiary institutions in the state including Kwara State University (KWASU) and the University of Ilorin, have indicated interest in the position of Provost of COED, Ilorin.
Among those warming up for the seat according to a highly placed source within the institution, is the Deputy Provost (Admin), Dr Mukaila Bola Taiwo, a lecturer at KWASU and a former lecturer Physical Health Educatio department of the college, Dr Abubakar Laro. The latter has also served as the principal of the COED, Ilorin Model College.
Also on the list of the likely successors is the immediate past sub dean, Students Affairs, University of Ilorin, Dr Abdulraheem Yusuf better known as Comrade, the Director of Computer and Information Technology College and Dr Ahmad Ayinla Jimoh.
Others are; the Dean School of Sciences, Mr Bolakale Adebimpe and the Dean, School of Basic and Remedial Studies, Dr (Mrs) Nimota Ojibara, who is the only female to have indicated interest in the plum job.
Meanwhile, it was gathered by this medium from impeccable sources that due to popular agitations, the incumbent Provost, Opobiyi may be handed new five-year tenure by the state government based on performance and akin to that of his compatriots at KWASU and Kwara State Polytechnic; Prof. Abdulrasheed Na’Allah and Alhaji Mas’ud Elelu, respectively.
Speaking on the achievements of Opobiyi, who is the sixth substantive provost, the Public Relations Officer of the college, Alhaji Abdulwaheed Ayelabegan described him as a silent achiever adding that his principal made a lot of sacrifice to elevate the institution to its current state.
According to the PRO, Opobiyi who had held various positions in the college including Director (IJMB), Chairman, SBRS Management Committee, Dean, School of Basic and Remedial Studies and Member Central Promotion Committee never lobbied for the position of provost but was prevailed on to apply in 2013.
“When Dr Opobiyi took over the college, he met no money in the institution’s purse but a huge debt running into N500 million as a result of unpaid salaries, money owed contractors and Ekiti State University (EKSU) for its affiliate programmes.
“Due to his transparency, he called the management and all staff to a meeting urging everyone to be ready, patient and make sacrifice to offset the debt owed by the previous administrations.
“True to his words, he was able to clear the debt he inherited and I can tell you to achieve this, there were occasions he forfeited his entitlements,” the PRO said.
In addition to the aforementioned, Opobiyi was credited with the following achievements among others; construction of 750 capacity twin lecture halls(Tetfund), functional e-library, multi-media lab for micro teaching, rehabilitation of college sick bay, sponsorship of 20 staff to the United Kingdom and acquisition of 4 vehicles for academic programmes.
Speaking on the low points of Opobiyi’s administration, a lecturer in the college, who pleaded not to be named, said the institution witnessed its fair share of industrial action since 2013 adding that some of those strikes greatly affected enrolment and subsequently revenue generation of the school. He added that the outgoing provost would have done better with improved intervention fund from the state government instead of the ‘peanut’ allocated to the college monthly.
“I believe the provost would have done well by demanding for a better share of the quarterly intervention fund to the college from the state government.
“May be the government took advantage of his gentle leadership style, otherwise most of the industrial action embarked upon under Opobiyi would have been curbed,” the source submitted.