Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun Community was thrown into panic and fear on Monday as the anti-graft agency, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission(ICPC) sent an invitation letter to the concerned authority of the College on alleged sharing of N.3billion meant for the execution of some projects in the College.

The source from the College Community, maintained that the letter from the the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other related offences Commission(ICPC) to the College authority was as a result of
Petition Letter dated Monday 4th of April, 2016 which was forwarded to the anti-graft agency by the Osun State based Civil Society
Organization (CSO), the Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun State (CSCEOS) and signed by its Chairman,Comrade Adeniyi Sulaiman.

It was also learnt on Monday that the Acting Provost of the College, who is brother to Justice Olubunmi Oyewole of the Court of Appeal, Professor Isaac Olayinka Oyewole held the emergency meeting with the staff of the College Bursary department ,alleging them of releasing the documents relating to the fraud to the Civil Society Organization(CSO) in the State.

In a statement issued by the group’s Directorate of Media and Strategy on Tuesday, recalled that the allegation of N300million financial impropriety leveled against the younger brother of former Osun State Governor and a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande, Mr. Niyi Akande who is currently, the Part-time Chairman of the Governing Council of the College since 2013, has been in the public domain for a while now over alleged diversion of public funds meant for certain projects in the College community.

Those also fingered in the corrupt allegations include the College former Acting Provost, Dr. Basiru Gbadamosi, the Registrar and Secretary to the Governing Council, Mr. Aderinola Adeoti, former College Bursar, now Bursar College of Education, Ilesa, Mr. Akin Latilo, and Mr. David Olayinka Olojede, a member of the Governing Council. Others involved in the alleged scam and diversion of Project funds were; Mr. Oyegbade Reuben Abayo, Mr. Amobi Yinusa Akinlola, Mr. Ayoola Peter Olajiola, Mr. Moses Oyewole Otitoola, and Mr. Kujeunbola Oluwafemi.

Similarly, a Petition Letter dated Monday 21st of March, 2016, had earlier been sent to the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for credible and proper investigation on the subject matter, adding that the branch Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) had forwarded a Letter to the state House of Assembly early this year on the same issue which has been placed under the carpet, apparently because of the involvement of the younger brother of former APC Interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande in the matter.

The alleged financial misappropriation was as a result of the sharing and diversion of public funds meant and approved for the execution of some projects in the College Community as it affects the Constructions of Tetfund Amphitheatre, the Ila Technical College, the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Department and Binding Service Building.

Besides, the massive corruption according to verified documents showed that the scam also spread to fees for Certificates collection, College Transport account and College History book among others.

According to the Petition, “The sum of One Hundred and Seven Million naira (N107m) out of (N125m) as part of fund released by the Tetfund as Special Intervention Project funds to the College for building of a Lecture Theatre (Amphitheatre) remains unaccounted for as the foundation of the project has not been completed after two (2) years which the project has been awarded.

At one of the Council meetings where the failed contract was extensively discussed, Council noted that though the sum of N107million had been allegedly released to the Contractor, and evaluators which the Council brought from the Ministry
of Works, Osogbo valued the work done at the site at just N13million.

“Surprisingly, Mr. Oyeniyi Akande promised to handle the issue with ‘maturity’. His position to use ‘maturity’ rather than litigation and sanction is at variance with Mr. Akande’s make-belief anti-corruption posture. But the Contractor, Otunba John Ojemuyiwa, the M.D. /CEO, Digitpro Engineering Technology Limited confessed that the larger percentage of the project funds were given to Mr. Yinka Olojede, the Governing Council member to share with other Council members where Mr.
Oyeniyi Akande collected the sum of N40million out of it”.

It added that: “Mr. Niyi Akande connived with one of his cronies who floated a consultancy Company named JAC Diran Limited, through which he fraudulently collected about N12million from the Amphitheatre project and also unilaterally increased his own monthly allowances from N110, 000 as approved to N150, 000 and those of other members of
Governing Council from N68, 750 each to N100, 000 in November 2014 with retrospective effect in defiance to the Osun State government Circular with Ref.No. S/PRI/23/187 (composition of Boards and the Remuneration of members),due process and College Edict”.

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