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From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
Authorities at Ondo State’s University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED) have debunked allegations of corruption levelled against the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adesegun Fatusi, calling the accusations unfounded and baseless.
On Tuesday, a group called the Coalition of Ondo State Indigenes Against Corruption (COIAC) staged a protest in Akure, alleging corruption by Professor Fatusi.
However, the university issued a statement through its Public Relations Officer, Mr Isaac Oluyi, defending the Vice-Chancellor. The statement described Professor Fatusi as a noble, God-fearing, and disciplined individual who has not engaged in any corrupt practices since his appointment.
Mr Oluyi chastised the protesters, stating they were acting on a script written by disgruntled individuals opposed to the progress and development currently underway at the university.
“This development is not new. As far back as 2016, under the leadership of the pioneer Vice-Chancellor, there were spurious allegations of high-handedness and lopsidedness in appointments, among others,” he said. “These claims were made by faceless protesters operating under different unrecognised associations to distract the institution.”
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He emphasised that UNIMED, under Professor Fatusi’s leadership, has excelled in teaching, research, and community service, contributing to sustainable development.
“The university, in terms of courses, has become a one-stop institution for all health sciences and medically-related courses,” Mr Oluyi stated.
The PRO also refuted allegations of a flawed recruitment process, stressing that competence and merit are the primary factors guiding appointments.
“Of the 307 junior staff employed by UNIMED as of December 2023, 235 are from Ondo State. Only four out of the 307 are from Ogun State, the state of origin of the Vice-Chancellor,” he revealed. “It’s important to add that not a single person among the four is from the Vice-Chancellor’s Local Government Area – Ado-Odo/Ota.”
He further explained that merit, competence, and quality are paramount when attracting academic and senior non-academic staff to UNIMED, ensuring the best hands contribute to the institution’s vision.
“This does not exclude indigenes,” Mr Oluyi clarified. “One wonders about the source of this spurious allegation about employing people from his state. The allegation is reductionist, as the university system is a place for all qualified individuals, regardless of their origin. This is indeed very sad! These individuals, who know little about the workings of the university, locally and internationally, threw caution to the wind by accusing a man with untainted integrity of corruption.”
