TONGUES are wagging at the Edo State-owned Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma over the University’s seeming inaction to cause thorough investigation into alleged illegal and manipulated promotions of the University’s Provost of College of Medicine, Professor G.B.S. Iyalomhe.
The University authorities had in February this year received a tense petition which raised serious allegations of academic fraud, manipulation of records, violation of due process and unmerited promotions against Professor Iyalomhe.
In the petition dated 2nd of February, 2022, Professor Iyalomhe’s promotion to the ranks of both Reader and Professor were said to have been manipulated in violation of the University’s appraisal and promotion criteria and best global practices by the then Vice-Chancellor of the University, Profess Ignatius A. Onimawo.
The petitioner, Dr. Moses Oriasotie Ujaddughe therefore tasked the University to investigate the promotion of the University’s Provost of College of Medicine to the ranks of Reader and Professor to ascertain if they were procedural, merited and in consonance with the appraisal and promotion criteria of the University as well as global best practices.
Apparently worried by seeming inaction of the University almost 6 months after the petition was received, Dr. Ujaddughe has written yet another memorandum to the University, expressing concern over the development and called on the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University to use his good offices “to address my pleas, as justice delayed could eventually become justice denied.”
In his latest petition titled “My Petitions” and dated July 5, 2022, Dr. Ujaddughe claimed that his petition of November 23, 2021 and that of February 2, 2022 have remained largely unattended to in the interest of fairness and justice.
He maintained that “whereas the first petition has received attention, I am yet to know the outcome of such attention almost six (6) months after the investigation panel last interacted with me”, adding that there is no evidence till date that the latter which has to do with Professor Iyalomhe’s alleged promotion scandal has received any attention.
Dr. Ujaddughe had in his February 2, 2022 petition chronicled Professor Iyalomhe’s promotion history to show certain abuses of due process and manipulation of his promotions.
According to him, “Prof. Iyalomhe was promoted to the position of Lecturer 1 in 2006 (though later backdated to take notional effect from 2005, but with financial benefit in 2006); he commenced his Ph.D programme in 2007 following his admission by a letter dated October 15, 2007 from the University of Benin, Benin City to study on full time; Prof. Iyalomhe obtained his Ph.D degree in 2011 (2009/2010 session) and was then promoted to the rank of a reader in 2011; and upon successful appraisal and external assessment, he was promoted to the rank of Professor in 2014.”
He tasked the University to investigate an alleged impunity of Professor Ignatius A. Onimawo to have backdated Professor Iyalomhe’s professorial promotion to 2012 and his readership promotion to 2009, without recourse to the Governing Council of the University that promoted him in the first place.
Exhibiting the necessary supporting documents on the alleged illegal promotions of Professor Iyalomhe, some curious questions raised by the petition for investigation by the University authorities included amongst others; Could Prof. Iyalomhe have studied on full time basis at the University of Benin, Benin City while in the full service of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma? If yes, did he obtain the full permission of the University and appropriate study leave? If he obtained appropriate leave and permission, was he still being promoted while on study leave?; (ii) Assuming it was correct that Prof. Iyalomhe was promoted to Lecturer 1 in 2005 (as against 2006), could he have been promoted through the position of Senior Lecturer to Reader by 2009 (two promotions within a four-year period)? The same period he was also studying for his Ph.D; (iii) Having obtained his Ph.D in 2011, could it have been possible to be promoted to reader in 2009, two whole years before obtaining his Ph.D?; and Whereas appointments and promotions are the businesses of the Governing Council of the University, is it right for the then Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ignatius A. Onimawo to without recourse to same Governing Council, back date the promotions of Prof. Iyalomhe – Readership to 2009, Professorship to 2012?
