Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has approved the immediate suspension of Prof Jimoh Atanda Afolabi, the Provost of Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun. The decision comes in response to an interim report from the Investigation Panel led by the Chief of Staff to the state governor, Kazeem Akinleye.
According to a statement released by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Governor Adeleke has also sanctioned the continuation of Dr Peter Babalola as the Chairman of the Governing Council. The decision is based on the committee’s findings, which indicated no evidence of abuse of power or financial misconduct against him.
Source: Chrome
The statement refuted claims of a two hundred million Naira fraud against the Council Chairman, that deemed the allegation unsubstantiated. The committee uncovered that the cash advance of three million Naira granted to the chairman adhered to the college’s financial regulations, supported by verified documentation.
“The allegation of N200m fraud levelled against the Chairman of the Governing Council is untrue, diversionary, baseless, and fallacious,” the statement asserted.
In the case of the suspended Provost, Prof Afolabi, the committee reviewed three previous investigation reports spanning administrations. The allegations included financial malfeasance, abuse of power, and corruption. Following a comprehensive analysis, the committee recommended the immediate suspension of the Provost, a decision subsequently endorsed by Governor Adeleke.
To prevent the situation from escalating, the state government had earlier constituted a three-man panel led by the Chief of Staff. This panel had temporarily reinstated Prof Afolabi pending further investigation.
Governor Adeleke’s prompt actions underscore the commitment to transparency and accountability in the governance of Osun State’s educational institutions. The government remains vigilant in addressing issues of malfeasance and ensuring the integrity of its educational leadership.
