By Lanre Aliykhal
SUNRISE NEWS, Ogun, Aug 13, 2020 Tragedy struck in Ogun when a Lecturer with the Tai Solarin College of Education (TASCE), Omu-Ijebu, Mr. Oladeji Adebolujo of Fine Arts Department, School of Vocational and Technical Education, reportedly slumped and died at Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, the State capital.
It was gathered that the deceased might have died due to the non-payment of his salary, arrears and other entitlements, he was said to have last received his salary in May 2020 with half payment salary, while about 65 Months staff salaries and arrears still owned by the state government.
Cases of Lecturers in TASCE dying untimely have been rife in recent months. A Lecturer at the same institution, Mr. Tajudeen Tunji Oropo died at Ososa River, last September, 2019, other are Mr. Dele Asipa, Mr. O.A. Abogunri, also, Mr. Semion Mabadeje of Agric Department, died of diabetic complications due to non-payment of his salary, and Mrs. Benson died in June, 2020, due to non-availabilty of fund to treat herself.
All these cases/incidences were blamed on exhaustion and lack of salary payment to take good care of themselves, as well as many of its Non-Academic staff of the College, also slumped while at work.
It would be recalled that the unending demands for their legitimate rights reached the climax mid 2018, when Senator Ibikunle Amosun’s administration stopped payment of their salaries and subvention for good sixteen (16) months.
Speaking with one staff of the institution, anonymously said that Dapo Abiodun’s administration too doing nothing to ameliorate their plights, as he was failed on his promises during the electioneering Campaigns, that he would resolve the problems of the College.
“In fact, Dapo Abiodun promised to put an end to TASCE problems and restore her lost glory during electioneering period, but to our surprise, nothing tangible has been done as his administration continues the payment of half salary to TASCE staff since 2019 till May 2020, when we received the last mutilated salary (June and July 2020 still unpaid), he said
He added that it may interest the general public to know that Abiodun’s administration has not paid amount out of over 60 (sixty) months salary arrears owned TASCE Staff by his predecessors, noting that Abiodun now owing them another 5 (five) month salaries in his 14-month old administration.
“We are bold enough to say that except the Visitation Panel and Governing Council he set up to into our problems, up till today, the white paper of the Visitation Panel is yet to see the light of the day or implimented”, he said
He then alleged the Governing Council that rather than solving their problems, financial welfare aspect of the institution, noting that they were only preoccupied with the agenda of giving the Provost of the College, Dr. Lukman Adeola Kiadese, a second term of another four years in office.
While contacting the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the institution, Mrs. Fisayo Olajide about the incident, she said that the institution management was not aware of death of any staff of the College, saying that she will get back as soon as the institution authority is briefed.
As at filling this report, she refused to respond to the incident, rather call back nor text messages to response to the allegations also leveled against the institution about non-payment of staff salaries.