By Austin Ogwuda
FORMER Minister of Education, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi has lambasted the Vice Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Peters Olufemi for absolving the Delta State Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme from any allegation of fraud while he worked there as a Bursar.
The NOUN Vice Chancellor had on Thursday led top management staff of the University to Government House Asaba on a courtesy visit to the Deputy Governor where he claimed that the Deputy Governor of the State, Sir Monday Onyeme, was “never involved in any wrongdoing as a Bursar or in his relationship with people”.
The VC who fielded questions from newsmen said, “there was never a time when a Panel was set up by anybody concerning Sir Monday Onyeme or indeed the Bursary Department of the University”.
But in a swift reaction, Gbagi said he found “the comment from a Professor of his (Olufemi), status not only a rude shock but a display of moral decadence, rascality and a public show of shame”.
He who expressed dismay and disappointment that Prof. Olufemi could put his integrity at stake and challenged the Vice Chancellor to tell the world how Onyeme left the institution.
Gbagi who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Kenneth Orusi in a press statement threatened to indict the NOUN Vice Chancellor.
The statement reads, “Femi (VC) who has displayed unprofessional conduct. He should tell the world how much he collected to come to make this dirty tour.
“He should show the discharge certificate or otherwise of Onyeme at the time of his exit from the University, he should show what send off or how did Onyeme leave the University, he never met me as a Vice Chancellor.
“And for him to make comments carelessly when he does not have facts, makes him a laughable human being.
“We have a lot of Professors, if you hear their stories, you will be ashamed of yourself. Prof. Nwanze, here, he met me when I was a Minister when he was then in trouble at the University of Benin.
“I don’t want to start reeling out names but Femi should keep quiet and has no right to comment when the Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for Education is talking”, the statement added.
Gbagi, had under Oath told the Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Asaba during cross examination that “Sir Onyeme was dismissed from the services of the National Open University and that as a former Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I presided over the Panel that dismissed Onyeme”.
Recall that Mr. Fidelis Egugbo an Asaba based journalist now a media aide to Deputy Governor Onyeme, earlier, came to the defence of Onyeme.
According to him Onyeme was not dismissed but disengaged from that employment on a clean slate
Said Egugbo, “It is laughable that a man dismissed from the services of NOUN, for forgery, could be described to have “unblemished record”, it is laughable.
“I am confident that no Deltan will take the spurious, unfounded allegation of Mr Kenneth Gbagi serious, because, we are all aware about his antecedents.
It is unfortunate that instead of accepting defeat as expected of a true democrat, he is in the tribunal trying to cause disaffection among the people.
“The Deputy Governor of Delta State, Sir Monday Onyeme, has an unblemished record as a civil servant before he was called upon to take political appointment.
“Without going back memory lane to list places that Sir Onyeme has excellently rendered service to humanity, we are all aware that as at 2015, Mr Gbagi was not the Minister of State and it was the year, 2015 that Sir Onyeme, took leave of absence from the NOUN to enable him effectively take charge of the affairs of the Delta State Internal Revenue Service, DSIR, as its Executive Chairman.
“The immediate past Governor of Delta State, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, believes in excellence and his administration was able to woo Sir Onyeme, a tax expert from the NOUN to head the DSIRS.
”As the Deputy Governor of Delta State, members of the National Open University of Nigeria Alumni Association, NOUNAA, Delta State Chapter, few days ago, paid a congratulatory visit on Sir Onyeme at his office at Government House, Asaba.That visit clearly attest to how the Deputy Governor is valued at the NOUN.
“Following his emergence as the running mate to Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori in 2022, it became clear, that his career at the NOUN had ended and as a man who believes in due process, Sir Onyeme who resigned his appointment at DSIR, also, resigned as the Bursar of the NOUN.
“His resignation put to an end, a robust nine years as Bursar of NOUN, a position that he put his expertise to use as he was never queried nor faced any panel whatsoever within the period. It was not surprising as Gbagi, was also, the only witness in his case before the tribunal.
“It is unfortunate that what Gbagi went to the tribunal with was a ‘trophy,’ that he personally raised criminal issues against the Deputy Governor, set up a panel which he was the Chairman, tried him, found him guilty and dismissed him, without having in mind that Nigerians are aware that he left office as a Minister for State years before Sir Onyeme voluntarily retired from NOUN”, stated Egugbo during an earlier visit to Onyeme by the Delta State branch of the Alumni Association of the Open University of Nigeria.
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