Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, the oldest institution of higher learning in Ondo State, is begging for sustaining aid to enable the institution to justify the dreams of its founding father, late Chief Adekunle Ajasin.
It is lamentable that today the age-long institution is administered without recourse to its edict.
This vice has brought serious damage to the visionary dream of the late sage.
For instance, today it is the only institution in the Sunshine State where all its management staff are in acting positions, contrary to the edict. The Rector has been in acting capacity for almost three years and has no Deputy Rector. The Registrar is in acting capacity, the Bursar has been in acting capacity for almost five years, and the Coordinator of the institution’s library has been in acting capacity for some years.
This trend is dangerous to the effective growth and development of the institution, and nobody is speaking against the menace.
The Governing Council is as good as non-existent, and no one is in doubt that the body is no longer representing the mandate of the Visitor to the Polytechnic. The institution needs help.
It is good to recall that the current Commissioner for Education in Ondo State, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, was once a Rector of this institution with enviable records, and after his exit, the legacies he left behind have almost gone into the grave.
There is smiling and suffering in the institution. The workforce is in pain due to unpaid backlog of salaries amidst the harsh economy and market forces.
The Polytechnic is growing in age without corresponding noticeable development. Its impact is not felt by the host community, not even in the State, but it is always begging for funding.
It was never magic for Prof. Ajibefun to survive during his tenure. He knew what a technical institution could do to bring development to its environment. He generated ideas on internal revenue, and in complementing government subvention, salaries were paid on time.
Prof. Ajibefun was creative and established the Artisan Centre, with trainings organised on skill acquisition and spread across the entire State for mutual benefit.
The student body enjoyed exposure, which put an end to incessant riots in the school.
The only pride in the institution today is propaganda and issues based on sentiments to impress the government that all is well.
All is not well, and the Visitor knows that all is not well. The combined convocation address of His Excellency showed that all was not well, as often presented by previous and present managers of the institution.
The Governor made a promise to pay the outstanding three months’ arrears and said that the dark days of RUGIPO would be over.
This promise, ever since, is yet to be redeemed, and the dark days keep lingering.
One needs to commend the Governor for reducing the unpaid salary arrears to three months and should sustain the tempo to bring smiles to the faces of the workers.
A political will is needed to restore the glory of the oldest institution.
The founding father carved a vision and a mission for the technological institution, with a mandate to drive the institution and make it a Silicon Valley. This spirit is yet to be realised. The institution needs help.
Today, and for a new year, one of the unions embarked on an industrial action demanding urgent attention to several demands, ranging from unpaid salary arrears, promotions, and balance payment of wage benefits as instructed by government to cushion the effect of economic hardship. The best that came out of the several demands was only a ₦15,000 payment.
My appeal to the Visitor of this noble institution is to honour his promise to the workers as made during the combined convocation and set a target for both the Governing Council and Management of the institution to realise the good vision of the institution.
It is not tidy and never in the spirit of the edict of the institution to keep all management staff in acting capacity. When regulations are not followed, disorder will surface.
The hope of pensioners is in danger. Little attention given to gratuities is on a selective basis. This is unjust. Management and government should see to the plight of the institution.
The student hostel is unhealthy and more of a slum. The initiative for investors is dead. The vast land is wasting and untapped. The institution needs urgent help.
For the restoration of glory to thrive, the government, management, alumni, unions across levels, and retirees of the institution should come together and make RUGIPO live up to the dreams of her founding father.
RUGIPO is waiting for restoration to create a new dawn for the progress of the Polytechnic, free from silent management cronies and marauders who are milking the institution to the detriment of others in the Polytechnic community.
It is hoped that something positive will be done in this direction before calling on EFCC and ICPC.
RUGIPO must not die. The welfare of the workforce must not suffer. The academic life of the institution should not be stunted. Those whose efforts have made the institution great must not go to waste.
S. O. Ojo (JP)
A Public Affairs Analyst