I read an article written by Dr Idris Isyaku Abdullahi, a staff of the Department of Banking and Finance of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi which published on page 12 of the Blueprint newspaper on November 8, 2017 and titled “The Augean stables at ATBU”. I was puzzled, to say the least, disappointed with the content of that article, wondering up to this moment, what exactly the action was intended achieve. Definitely, not in search of justice. As academics, we cannot claim ignorance of unwholesome utterances against persons or institutions, especially with the attendant consequences of such actions as trailed by this publication.
A number of issues were raised in that article which border on corruption charges. Significantly, I noted two major grouse of the writer which include non action from the University management on an alleged examination misconduct which happened in 2012. The other allegation was on illegal charges to students by his Faculty officials. He presented the article as a direct complaint to the University Visitor, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari. This, in a nutshell, were the major highlights encapsulated in the write-up.
As an alumnus and a former Secretary to the Students’ Union Government in the university, and as someone who knows much about the issues at stake (since as a representative of the students, I have served in many university committees) I felt constrained to respond to the article. It is however, in the interest of the public to be informed of the truth regarding these matters. I am privileged to know that, indeed, a letter was received by the management of the university in March, 2017 as written by Dr Isyaku. Suddenly, as if awakening from a deep slumber, he exhumed an issue which was resolved in 2012 (pointing out that “criminality has no expiry date”). He has earlier written to the chief security officer of the university alleging threat of attack with the intent of inflicting harm on his person by some of his colleagues which the security unit investigated and discovered otherwise.
Nonetheless, the letter was received by the management, and another separate letter of allegation of assault, intimidation and attack on personal integrity against Dr Abdullahi from the dean of his faculty Following these complaints, the management set-up an 8 member committee headed by a professor in April, 2017 to study the two separate allegations and advise the management accordingly. Arising from the outcome of the committee’s recommendations, the management directed the Registrar to request the said student’s examination script, the illegal material he was caught with and the misconduct form the accused filled and how the matter was resolved. As for the reported altercation between the two lecturers, the management issued bot sides with letters of advise to be of good behaviour. The management further advised the Faculty to desist from making student’s registration for COMTED compulsory and also desist from charging Faculty vote book to pay the registration of staff.
The fact that Dr. Abdullahi was aggrieved for loosing election for the position of head of his department or involved in teaching self-finance courses is not a license for him to drag the university into the mud which depicted his self-centeredness.
In line with extant regulations provided by the university law and conditions of service of staff, a prima-facie committee was set up to look into all the issues and report appropriately. The query issued to Dr. Abdullahi was to explain his failure to follow due process as provided by extant regulations which required aggrieved staff to exhaust internal mechanism of seeking redress before externalizing it.
I have gone this far in digging the required information to attempt correcting the wrong picture portrayed by Dr Isyaku which gave the general feeling that the University was not responding to the complaints he (and of course, others against him) made in conflicting stance against each other. As a measure of solution to another tussle, considering the fact that Dr Isyaku was noted by others as, much earlier, feeling hurt for losing an election as a head of department, the management directed the faculty to put a vehicle in motion for the election of a substantive dean. This is in spite of the fact that all reports available did not violate any laid down procedure in the university system despite allegations and counter allegations amongst the involved staff.
However, these steps did not seem to be acceptable to Dr Isyaku who then, proceeded and took the matter to the Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, tendering an internal document channeled to the management by some staff of the Faculty. Based on this violation, Dr Isyaku was asked to explain why a disciplinary action should not be taken against him. He responded to the query which the management, I learnt, found to be unsatisfactory. He was then, warned to desist from such action in future. The Commissioner of Police was then asked to allow the University handle the matter as a prima facie committee has been constituted to look at all the allegations and counter allegations holistically.
Subsequently, the committee was inaugurated early this month and was given two weeks to submit its report to the management. In my previous dealings with the academia, I came to realise that Universities are run on committee system. The recommendations of this committee will be forwarded to the disciplinary committee whose outcome will be forwarded to the Governing Council for consideration and final determination.
One begins to wonder then, why Dr Isyaku will resort to malign the university just as his grudges (and of course, other staff) are bring handled administratively and quite adequately. It is rather unfortunate that a teacher who ought to champion the supervision of both quality character and learning is being caught in attempt at character assassination and acts that negate the spirit of progress, decorum and fair play to the system as whole. As a stake holder in the system, I am terribly pained to witness such an act of exuberance aimed at pre-empting justice and, in the process, dipping the university’s hard-earned good name in the mud.
Bello wrote in from Damaturu
