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By Gabriel Dike
The three-month-old crisis rocking the Federal College of Education Technical (FCET), Akoka, Lagos, has consumed a major actor as the Governing Council has directed the embattled Provost, Dr. Ademola Azeez, to step aside.
The decision was taken at the inaugural governing council meeting held in the college amid violent protests by students.
The council members witnessed the invasion of armed policemen, and the arrest of 32 staff and students, which led to violent protests.
A circular dated July 31, and signed by the Registrar and Secretary to the council, Mr. Rasheed Dada, conveyed the decision to the college community.
It read: “This is to inform the college community that at the inaugural meeting of the 8th Governing Council of the college on Tuesday, July 31, 2024, the council directed that Dr. Wahab Ademola Azeez should step aside from office as the provost of the college with effect from July 31, 2024.
“Sequel to the above, the council at the same meeting unanimously resolved to appoint Dr. Isaac Oluwatoyin Miller as the acting provost with immediate effect,” Dada stated in the circular.
The removal of the provost elicited jubilation among staff and students, who had since May 27 demanded for his removal.
Daily Sun gathered that Azeez’s camp is not happy with the council’s decision and they view it as humiliation to the provost.
Staff of the college on May 27 sealed the office of the provost and asked the Minister of Education to sack him.
It was gathered that after the council prevailed on the staff to open the provost’s office, the students locked it and took to the street to protest, as well as demand for his removal.
The crisis had earlier consumed the chairmen of Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), Non Academic Staff Union (NASU), for not participating in the workers’ agitations.
The students’ union impeached their president for writing a letter to the Minister of Education in support of the embattled provost without their knowledge.
