Take a fresh look at your lifestyle.

Okoh Poly, a disastrous mistake under the incumbent

0 130

Get real time updates directly on you device, subscribe now.

Okoh PolyOkoh Federal Polytechnic, is a higher institution sited at Okoh Anambra State, by the influence of the former Vice President of Nigeria, Dr Alex Ekwueme, an

architect per excellence. 

He served as Vice to Alhaji Shehu Shagari a School Headmaster from the North; the duo served Nigeria in the second republic from 1979 till when the military truncated Democracy in 1983 through the barrel of the gun.

 He was instrumental to bringing Oko Poly to his home town a grand gesture expected from a statesman at the helm of affairs.

The School for some time, counting from the past, has problem with good reputation, but before now it was known for runs girls and some other times cultism but recently with the introduction or ascension of the most corrupt rector in history of South East, Prof Godwin Onu, whose success in office can only be measured with how many hotels he’s built  as his own, how many houses he built as his own  ,how many hostels he built as his own  and his living  eye popping palace with most of the state of the arts amenities run with remote control .

Thanks to former Secretary to Federal Government Chief Anyim Pius Anyim with his partner in plot, Sir Emeka Offor who shoved this rector down the throat of the school .we should not forget that this two are also responsible for the VC of UNIZIK another great mistake in academic life in south east. One wonders why this two thrives in bringing shame to our citadel of higher learning? Even when they fell to emulate people like Dr Ekwueme who brought peace and transformations back home.

Personally I am surprised that Pius Anyim will be that powerful to influence such academic positions in Anambra State, with all the heavy weight abounding in that state. I shiver on what he might have done in other states with his federal powers then. His own state must be living in bondage of fear in his days as SGF. Moving on…

That Prof Godwin Onu, the Vice Chancellor, drove the school into moral bankruptcy is not new or news, that he turned the school out as a place where students are trained to become a complete daft cannot be the only issue.

The pressing issue is that he has what it takes to buy any law enforcement agent or federal school officers sent to investigate him. He buys any journalist that tries to open the can of worms; he is what the press will call deep pocket and he puts it into use.

Prof Godwin Onu, Vice Chancellor – Okoh Poly

Today after series of investigation by our home based crack team ,the lead reporter Mazi Odera reached out to Prof Onu in a text message that read and I quote: “Good morning Prof Onu. This is Mazi Odera on behalf of Factreporters.com and South East Advocates “SEA”.

Sir, we Have lengthy accusations against the school and you which we want to publish on social media. Can we get your reactions before publication or can we send you the copy of the post publication to enable you give us your rebuttal or rejoinder, and then we can publish it as right of reply. Thanks, Odera.”

He sent us a response 5 minutes later and it read thus “call my PRO and he left a number”; then we send same text to the PRO. 16 minutes later the rector text a follow up message that is laced with arrogance and mischief. He said and I quote:

 “I suggest you look for something else to publish and forget about the school. Igbos should not destroy themselves”. 

The PRO’s case is likened to a child his father bought police toy gun and he started arresting every cock and sheep around his house.

When I got the above response from the Rector, Prof Godwin Onu, I saw truly a man full of himself; a man with a deceitful thought. He thinks he is on top of the world, a man who thinks that even God won’t stop him from corrupting our education for personal gain. I thanked him for the quotable quote, as it will be used as his reaction to the allegation. Just then he responded again with an invitation which said and I quote:

“If you have time let’s see”.

I do not need educated guess on the invitation, it is same invitation that always kills stories, when a reporter or journalist will visit him and brown envelope will be giving and the reporter will forget his senses; same invitation which makes law enforcers to be law compromisers; the same invitation that posterity will judge us with.

The issue now is: what can our commissioner of education do about this rot? Can she make a memo to the feds to come and investigate this absolute fraudulent empire? Or will she continue playing ping pong with ABS on how 10th position the state attained in NECO this year is better than 1st position they have been taking for 4 years?

Can the governor of our state use his position and get the feds to investigate the entire corruption and academic pranks they play all in guise of teaching our children, feeding them with absolute rubbish?

In course of our investigation, a senior lecturer who does not want his name in print said and I quote:

“Polytechnics are established for acquisition of practical skills by its products as opposed to universities that thrive on theories. Academic standards have been compromised in the polytechnic through the introduction of Computer Based Test (CBT) by the Rector as a means of graduating students in all departments in the polytechnic. This has watered standards and has led to the production of counterfeit graduates presently in the polytechnic.

The social struggle to restore and secure sound academic standards for future generation of students that enrolled in the polytechnic and indeed all polytechnics in Nigeria is a task that needs collaborative and sustained action.

It is scary, but I believe the rot in the polytechnic as a sure means of effecting change in the system through publication of the rot in the social media since the print media has been compromised.  I am on my knees pleading that you publicise the findings of your investigations, in order to save polytechnic education in Federal Polytechnic, Oko, and to serve as deterrence for other polytechnics that may be tempted to follow the destructive footsteps of the polytechnic.” End of quote.

We should not forget that Emeka Umeagbalasi and his group wrote and I provide about the same rot in Oko.

I quote “There is confusion at the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State, following a startling revelation that certain dead students of the institution were graded and awarded marks in recent semester examinations.

A rights group, International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law opened the can of worms in a petition to the school authorities recently

The petition entitled: “Complaints against Wrongful Allocation of Results to Deceased Students’: A call for Investigation and Redress, alleged that “one of the deceased students awarded marks in exams he never participated was Late Ezeh Uchenna with registration number FPO/SLT/ND/R1/012/038.

The petition was signed by the Chairman of the group’s Board of Trustees, Mr. Emeka Umeagbalasi.

According to the group, “The said Uchenna was given upper credit (3.05) and awarded 67 in Cell Biology, 81 in Organic Chemistry, 60 in Physical Chemistry, 49 in Electricity and Magnetism, 44 in Optics and Waves, 66 in Analytical Chemistry, 70 in General Lab Techniques, 69 in Computer Packages and so on.

It also alleged that some students who had long left the polytechnic were captured in the last semester examination records of the school,

Intersociety said the purpose of its petition was to ensure that the right things were done, noting that some students who complained about the irregularities and recklessness were being victimised by the school authorities.

“Just two days ago, they were called and invited by the school security authorities to come and defend the letter Intersociety wrote to the school and defend their involvement over same.

“The students also informed Inter Society that their names have been forwarded to the School’s Anti-Cult Brigade to be treated as common criminals and cultists.

“As a matter of fact, they have gone into hiding; operating amorphously to avoid being physically assaulted and held captive. Their state of mind is also psychologically battered leading to mental torture,” Inter Society said.

Inter Society said, “We regard these approaches as very uncalled for, reprehensible, despicable and condemnable.

“The school must not be an outlaw and dangle with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 particularly its Section 35 (personal liberty), 36 (fair hearing) and 39 (freedom of expression).

“Your school must also understand that the engine room of the corporate social responsibilities, which it is a party to; is founded on human rights. Students who complain of certain anomalies through duly constituted processes are not only sticklers of due process, but also entitled to fair hearing and free speech or expression.

“It saddens our heart that till date no reasonable investigation over the students’ complaints has been commenced and concluded by the school authorities.

It further submitted that “As for the referenced Head of Department, who was newly elevated to the academic rank of Deanship, we demand that she should be called to order and compelled to revisit the issue. As we have earlier demanded, no student of the referenced department should be punished or maltreated over the issue.

It noted that “The students’ assertion that the lecturers that handled the referenced courses and exams should be compelled to tender their raw result score sheets for the purpose of verification should be commended and heeded.

In his reaction, the Rector of the Polytechnic, Professor Godwin Onu, said he had constituted a committee to investigate the matter, adding it was the work of bad people working to paint the polytechnic black in the eyes of the public.” End of quote

The worrisome question is: Is this one man quest for wealth better than a brighter future of our children, the hope of our tomorrow?

Mazi Odera

ATTACHMENTS:

Get real time updates directly on you device, subscribe now.