OSOGBO, Nigeria — The Osun State Government has ordered a two-week closure of The Osun State Polytechnic, Iree Campus, citing concerns over peace and stability within the institution.
The closure comes on the heels of a contentious legal battle involving the school’s suspended Rector, Dr. Tajudeen Odetayo.
The directive was announced in a statement signed by Dipo Eluwole, the state’s Commissioner for Education, on Thursday, September 7, 2023.
“The immediate break is a necessary action in order to maintain peace in the Institution consequent upon the forceful return of the suspended Rector, Dr. T.A. Odetayo,” read the statement.
In addition, the statement noted that the institution’s accounts have been frozen “with immediate effect.”
A Legal Quagmire
Dr. Tajudeen Odetayo, initially suspended on July 24, 2023, for alleged gross misappropriation of funds and abuse of office, returned to his position on Thursday, armed with an order from the National Industrial Court, Ibadan Division.
The court’s ruling issued an interim order restraining Governor Adeleke and 14 others from appointing a new rector for the polytechnic, a mandate that effectively reinstalled Odetayo as Rector.
Justice Opeloye Ogunbowale, who presided over the case, also called for a halt on any further actions regarding the institution until a hearing slated for October 10, 2023.
Community Tensions
Acting Rector Alabi Kehinde, who was temporarily appointed to replace Odetayo, urged calm amid rising tensions.
In a statement, Alabi charged, “Staff and students in the school should not submit themselves to any form of intimidation but to maintain peace and order.”
He added, “The state government is looking into the situation and will get stay of execution in court.”
A Campus in Limbo
The directive has left students and staff in a state of uncertainty, disrupting academic activities and putting financial transactions on hold with the freezing of the school’s accounts.
The situation also calls into question the balance of authority between state governments and legal bodies, especially as it pertains to educational institutions.
As the academic community awaits the court’s next move, the closure serves as a dramatic interlude to a larger legal and ethical quandary affecting one of the state’s primary educational institutions.
