The VC Federal University Dutsin-ma Should Go -By Mustapha Saddiq

Professor James O. I. Ayatse the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Dutsin-ma (FUDMA) situated in Dutsin-ma Local Government of Katsina State is in the news again -and once again- for the wrong reason. The institution he is heading as reported by Daily Trust “has how become a safe heaven for many university lecturers who were fired by their former employers on disciplinary grounds”.

FUDMA, under the leadership of this Vice Chancellor (VC) had employed at least three (3) staff even when the institution had been notified officially by their former places of work about their disengagement on purely disciplinary grounds. The staff re-employed by the University include a professor from ABU, Zaria who was sacked after he was found guilty of enticing a married woman by a Jigawa State Chief Magistrate’s Court. Others include another professor and a Phd holder who lost their previous jobs over various misconducts. The later is currently the Head Of Department of English in the institution!

But long before then, last year precisely, SUNDAY TRUST has reported a ‘serious’ recruitment scandal that embroiled the newly established University. Then, among other things, it was reported that there is a great imbalance in the composition of the University’s community work force as it does not reflect the University’s catchment area.

For instance, according to the then report, only 3 out of the dozens management team of the university were from the north-west zone as a whole! Katsina State indigenes are taking the lead in the total work force only on paper as the strategic posts shows the contrary. These actions of cause are against the spirit of the federal character principle as well as the universities catchment area policy. As expected, it drew the attention of the house of representative committee on education who visited the university to see things for them selves and later queried the VC over the illegal miss doings. The committee also demanded explanation as to how -or rather why- Benue State (which is north-central and not a catchment area) has more indegines working in the university that Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto, Zamfara states combine.

No wonder, while the managements of the other Universities established same time with the FUDMA are busy working tirelessly to build a strong institution that can compete favorably with their counterparts in the country, the one in my state has been lagging behind in almost all aspects. Thanks to the sentiments and nepotism employed in the school by her VC.

Now, we are calling for the FUDMA’s Vice chancellor to please stop embracing us. Katsina is known to be a home learning and a State full of intellectuals that stand tall nationally. Back to the colonial era, Katsina was a symbol of education as it accomodated the first Northern elementary School in which Ahmadu Bello Sardauna of Sokoto and many others passes through.

We are also calling on the relevant authorities and stakeholders to come to our rescue. This VC is doing more harm than good to the state and the nation is general. We are calling for a thorough investigation of the issue and proper handling of the saga. But before then, we are calling for him to go honorably.

Mustapha Saddiq wrote from Batagarawa, Katsina State Email: mustyfantastic77@yahoo.com GSM NO. 08056627880 Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone from Etisalat. Enjoy high speed mobile broadband on our easyblaze and plans for BlackBerry. Visit www.etisalat.com.ng for details.