Osogbo – The Osun state administration on Thursday ordered the State Polytechnic, Iree, to close immediately due to a rectorship conflict.
Dr. Tajudeen Odetayo’s position as rector was suspended by the State Government in July of this year, and Mr. Kehinde Alabi was subsequently named in an interim capacity.
But on August 21, 2023, Odetayo, through his attorney Rasheed Adeniyi, petitioned the Industrial Court for an order of interim injunction prohibiting the defendants/respondents, their servants, privies, employees, or however else described from carrying out the letter of suspension dated July 11, 2023, and letter of query dated August 1, 2023, given to the claimant/applicant herein or otherwise interfering with the claimant/applicant’s position as the Rector of Osun State Polytechnic, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction before this court.
The injunction requested by the claimant was granted by Lagos-based Judge O. A. Ogunbowale, who further restricted the state government and its representative from taking any further action while the lawsuit was still ongoing.
He (Odetayo) returned to work earlier on Thursday, giving the school’s chief security officer the court order before making his way to the rector’s office with the assistance of professors from an ASUP faction.
Similar to this, a group of supporters of the interim rector met in a school building to prepare their course of action before Alabi tried to restore calm.
However, the state government ordered staff and students to take a two-week sabbatical and also frozen the institution’s account in a statement released by the Commissioner for Education, Dipo Eluwole, in an effort to maintain calm on the campus.
This is to alert the public—in particular, employees and students at Osun State Polytechnic—that a two-week break will begin immediately.
“The immediate break is a required move to maintain the Institution’s harmony in light of the suspended Rector’s compelled return, Dr. T.A. Odetayo.
The entire public should be made aware that school accounts have been immediately stopped, and that everyone must participate fully and follow these instructions.
