Kunle Adelabu
-Only one Ikorodu indigene indicated interest so far
-Institution presently without Governing Council
As the incumbent Rector of the Lagos State Polytechnic, Samuel Olayinka Sogunro is set to complete his 5 year term in May this year, 25 candidates have so far shown interest in taking over the mantle of leadership of the institution.
It was gathered that the outgoing Rector would be following in the footsteps of his immediate predecessors – Engr. Ayodeji Iginla and Dr Lawal Azeez by not seeking re-election for the position.
THE IMPACT gathered that 8 out of the 25 candidates that have already applied are currently staff of LASPOTECH, while one is from Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) and majority of others are Professors and Associate Professors from the Lagos State University (LASU) and other Universities.
The institution is without a Governing Council at the moment as the tenure of the last council led by Prof. Tajudeen Gbadamosi expired few months ago and the government is yet to constitute new one.
THE IMPACT gathered that the Lagos State Government is not ready to constitute another Council until the panel setup to look into the crisis that threatened the institution in the past few years complete its work.
This development gives the Special Adviser on Education to the Governor, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, the power to oversee the processes of screening and selecting a new Rector for the institution.
It was also gathered that only one out of those that have shown interest in the much coveted position is from Ikorodu Division. He is Mr Olumide Metilelu, the current Deputy Rector (Academic) of the Polytechnic.
Mr Metilelu is from the Department of Hospitality, School of Technology of the institution. He is from Imota Local Council Development Area (LCDA) and he’s reportedly enjoying massive backing from the Ranodu of Imota and Ikorodu establishment.
Other candidates who are staff of the Polytechnic are Dr Olatunji Arowolo (Department of Mathematics & Statistics), current Director, Research, Innovation and Development of the Polytechnic, Dr Nuruden Olaleye, Head of Department SLT, Dr Kolawole Godonu, (Department of Agriculture), a former Dean and the current Chaplain of LASPOTECH Christian Fellowship.
Others are Dr Rafiu Ashafa, the Dean of the School of Agriculture, TPL K.B Ibrahim Adedeji (Department of Town Planning), the Director of Academic Planning, LASPOTECH, Mr M. A Okunnu (Department of Economics (GNS), School of Communication & Liberal Studies), the Director, School of Part Time Studies (Day), and Mr Tajuden Nurudeen Senayan (Department of Mathematics), the Director of School of Part Time Studies (Regular) .
We also gathered that the candidate from YABATECH is one Dr Apena from the Faculty of Science.
According to report, Dr Apena’s candidature is being canvassed by some LASPOTECH staff who believe that the institution needs a break from its current situation. To them, somebody who is not part of the system would provide effective leadership that would unify the institution.
THE IMPACT also gathered that screening may be conducted for the candidates in march while they may also be possibly taken through computer based test, oral interview and credential verification.
It was also gathered that those claiming Lagos State as their origin among the candidates would face the State Origin Verification Committee (SOVC) to ascertain their claims.
We also gathered that there may also be security check as part of the screening process.
Meanwhile, petitions have started flying since candidates started showing interest in the number position in the Polytechnic.
According to report, some of the petitions are against those candidates claiming Lagos State as their state of origin as it is being rumoured that they are not indigenes of the State.
Another raging issue is the claim by a section of the institution that some of the staff of the Polytechnic that have so far shown interest in the position have not spent up to five years as Chief Lecturer as required by the National Board for Technical Education policy, while another section is claiming that the five years stipulated by the NBT is only applicable to those in Polytechnic and College of Education systems.
We also gathered that those supporting that University dons are not exempted by NBT policy in relation with the LASPOTECH Rectorship are saying that the policy has not been domesticated in LASPOTECH.
There is also a section that are championing the course against candidates from outside the Polytechnic. They are of the view that the institution has enough capable hands from which Mr Sogunro’s successor can be picked from.
Those clamouring for a successor from within the system further claimed that it is the tradition of the institution to select its Rector within the system and that they do not see the status quo changing.
