The outgoing Rector of Osun State College of Technology (OSCOTECH), Esa-Oke, Dr Samson Akinbamide Omobayo Adegoke on Thursday pleaded with the State governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke and the College’s Governing Council to speedily convert contract staff to permanent positions saying, the number of contract staff in the college exceeds that of the permanent ones.
Dr. Adegoke who made this known at his valedictory service held in Esa-Oke,noted that majority of the contract staff have spent more than sixteen (16) years either as teaching or non-teaching staff of the College.
while arguing that, the issue of staffing has reached a critical stage due to a prolonged lack of replacement for retired personnel since year 2012, he affirmed that, “the contract staff,more popularly known as “IGR Staff” far outnumbered the permanent staff. Another critical angle to this problem is that academic staffing requirement is not just about the number, rather about the right mix. “
He added” staffing is another major problem. Since year 2012, when staff retired in mass to avoid contributory pension scheme, staff have been retiring normally without replacement.”
The outgoing rector added that, the college has been relying heavily on Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to engage contract staff in order to keep operations.
“To continue with the accreditation requirements, I want to appeal to the Governing Council and the State Government to help the College to convert our IGR staff to permanent staff, particularly considering their work experience”.
In his own remark, the Chairman Governing Council, of the school, Prince Diran Odeyemi, disclosed that Adegoke’s Dr. Adegoke’s tenure has been marked by dedication, vision , commitment, creativity which has led to great transformation dotted with unwavering commitment to excellence and unprecedented growth.”
“During his almost 8 years tenure, his greatest achievement worthy of mentioning is the addition of a Faculty and 16 new departments which is the double of what he met when he became the Rector of this institution. Through his sagacity, despite paucity of fund, he motivated and work with members of the management and staff to achieve all these without leaving a debt. “
“Deploying his acumen and benevolence nature, he was able to priotise staff welfare by clearing seven-months’ salary arrears of College Contract Staff and thirteen months of half Peculiar Allowance of Permanent Staff. That is the man we are bidding farewell to today.”
” Sir, your name will be mentioned when the history of this institution is being written because you have done well. When I assumed duty as the Chairman, Governing Council, I quickly deployed my journalistic training and experience to conduct personal investigation and background check about who really is the man called SAO as popularly called by old students of this college.”
” I am sure you will all want to know the outcome of my investigation which I am also happy to disclose and I doubt if the outcome can be faulted. Preparatory to my disclosure is the truism of life that nobody satisfies all, in the wisdom of my late mother, it is a sin to be a saint in the midst of sinners, in life you need the combination of both to be successful in life.”
” Dr Adegoke you are a misunderstood personality because you too focused to forgive indolence, you are too pragmatic to pardon laziness and too disciplined to condone societal indecency. It is not unusual or uncommon to have friends and antagonists, it is the component of human existence, mixture of friends and adversaries, they form the balance and equation that keeps life going.”
” One reoccurring fact that assisted in the formation of my opinion about you is that both your friends and antagonists attested to your brilliance, prudence, pragmatism and that you are a workaholic. You would rightly recollect, I gave you my words of assurance that I will take bullets for you while you must watch my back as the chairman so as to balance the equation of your strength and whatever may be my personal weaknesses as we both to the fact that nobody is an encyclopaedia of knowledge.”
“Dr Adegoke, you remain an enigma, a brother and a friend in retirement, I am going to miss you. My address will be incomplete if I failed to mention some of your achievements as a visionary leader. You inspired a culture of innovation, team work and academic rigour, fostering an environment where students and faculty thrives in the College.Your Strategic Planning led the College to develop its first ever Strategic Plan tagged ;”Vision 2023: The Great Aspiration”, which serve as a compass and guide the trajectory of total development and growth of the College”.
_The implementation of this Strategic Plan has produced the unprecedented growth, improved infrastructure which has greatly enhanced the reputation of our institution both in Nigeria and abroad. The Alumni will not forget you established an alumni office and the appointment of Alumni Relation Officer to coordinate alumni activities such as facilitating the process of obtaining certificates and transcripts with ease.”
” You fostered strong partnership with industry stakeholders, academia and the community leading to expanding opportunities for research, innovation and students engagement. We thank you. Dr Adegoke, you enhanced the capacity building for staff by exposing them to international conferences, seminars and workshops that were at the lowest ebb before your assumption of office.”
“We pray that God Almighty will continue to guide and protect you as you move on in life. Amen As rightly suggested by one of us at our valedictory Council meeting, we look forward to when you will join us in PDP in partnering with His Excellency Asiwaju Sen Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke in his task of changing the narratives of governance to be effective in building an inclusive society where prudence and people’s welfare, safety and happiness takes the centre stage.”
“In the words of William Shakespeare in one of his books, Julius Caesar, he said and I quote “ If indeed we are related, we shall meet again, if not, this parting is well made” I thank you all”,he submitted.
Also, in his speech,, the commissioner for Education in the state, Sunday Eluwole, commended the outgoing rector for his commitment to academic excellence affirming that, his tenure recorded notable studies in the infrastructure development, academic standards and institutional partnerships.
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