Must Read! COEM: Race For Who Takes Over As Deputy Provost In November Heats Up

By Phil Abha

As the Deputy Provost of the College of Education, Mosogar, Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State, Dr. Johnson Erhinyondavwe’s tenure expires in November, many lecturers in the college are already scheming in a bid to succeed him.  

Amongst those in the race are: Dr. Moses Omayuli , Dr. Moses Ossai , Dr. Onojete Power and Mr. Daniel Avwenaghegha .

Of the lots, Dr. Moses Omayuli and Dr. Moses Ossai are already carrying on as if they have grabbed the position already. 

While Omayuli is said to be bragging of having Senator (Chief) Ighoyota Amori as his godfather,  Ossai on the other hand is banking on solid support from Governor Ifeanyi Okowa , because of his  ethnic background. 

However, Mr. Daniel Avwenaghegha and Dr. Power Onojete, are said to be placing their fate in destiny. 

In this piece, we serve you in brief their strong and low points which could decide in their favour or militate against their aspirations. 

Dr. Moses Omayuli: Is an environmental biologist. He is a senior lecturer scheming to succeed the outgoing Deputy Provost. He has acted in that capacity and that of the Provost in the past. He is not strange to the challenges of that office. Besides, he is sure of Senator Ighoyota Amori, the Chairman of Delta State Capital Development Agency and the Otota of Mosogar Kingdom’s  support anytime, anyday. However, critical stakeholders are of the view that Omayuli’s antecedents have already disqualified him even before the race began. He was said to be high handed to staff and students of the college when he assumed that position and that of the Provost on acting capacity. Also, he is said to have actively played on ethnic sentiment to the detriment of non indigenes working in the college. His past record as acting Provost was an eyesore which was characterised by massive corruption and reckless maladministration. He was said to be a self serving man who plays the ethnic card to whip up sentiments for self gain under the guise of fighting for Mosogar’s interest. 

Omayuli was also accused of alleged promotion to the rank of a senior lecturer without the requisite academic qualifications in 2008 contrary to the regulations of the National Council of the Colleges of Education. His promotion was said to be an academic fraud perpetuated with the connivance of a compromised Academic Board of the College at that time.

Other reason stakeholders have questioned the rationality of Omayuli’s scheming to come back again is that he is a master of undue process. He was said to have elevated an indicted lecturer, Mike Eguegu, accused of sexual harassment to Dean, School of Arts and Social Sciences. He was also alleged to have made an unconfirmed assistant lecturer the coordinator of the college’s demonstration school over confirmed senior colleagues just as he was said to have made a part time lecturer the Head of Department of Political Science over permanent staff.

Omayuli, according to stakeholders should bury his ambition because of his lack of quality as an administrator. He was said to be a puppet to his wife who was effectively in charge when the husband was acting as the college Provost.  He is also accused of making his wife a lecturer II, the Head of the Department of Biology and the Director of UNICEF projects in the college. 

Omayuli has been accused of bringing the college to its present sorry state. When he was acting Provost, he recklessly awarded and supplied substandard equipment and items for the price of quality ones. Omayuli is too corrupt and will kill the college if allowed to come again. Presently, the college is in court battling with litigation from a contractor over misappropriated TETFUND money meant to pay contractors.

Dr. Moses Ossai: He is a guardian and counselor. He was said to have also acted before as Provost of the college. Ossai, believed he is there already as he is dependent on Okowa’s and Delta north connection.

However, critical stakeholders have also condemned Ossai’s aspiration as fruitless exercise of a misguided actor who failed woefully when given the opportunity to act. Those against him said, he is incompetent for the office and lacks the requisite foresight, zeal and the push to revive the college. His ideology is not different from the one he employed when he acted in the past and that is not what the college needs in the present circumstance. The college required an astute administrator with fresh idea and the push to ensure its survival. This quality, Ossai, lacks and it will take a herculean task for him to make an appreciable impact if given the opportunity again. Besides, like Moses Omayuli,  age is not on the side of Moses Ossai.

Moses Ossai , was also accused of alleged reckless and gross financial misconduct during his short stay as active Provost. This, the stakeholders said also disqualified him from any reconsideration of coming back again. 

Mr. Daniel Avwenaghegha: He is also a guardian and counselor staff. He is a quiet and easy going person. Unlike the duo of Moses Omayuli and Moses Ossai, he has not acted as Deputy Provost or Provost before, and this is an added advantage. Again, Avwenaghegha, is from Jesse, a sister community to Mosogar Kingdom, where the college is situated. Opinion molders are of the view that Moses Omayuli and Moses Ossai, should voluntarily step down for Avwenaghegha, as a befitting parting gift for his retirement, since he has not occupied the office before. Avwenaghegha, is also said to be better placed and will do better if given the opportunity to act. 

However,  the only clog in the wheel of Avwenaghegha’s progress to ascend the Deputy Provost’s  office in acting capacity is that of the ethnic card that is been played once again. A prominent politician and a High Chief from Mosogar Kingdom is said to have been dragged into the scheme and has vowed that a Jesse man will never be the Provost of the college as long as he lives.  This is the only “k leg” to Avwenaghegha’s emergence.

Dr. Onojete Power: He is from the Department of Educational Foundation. He is also scheming to become the Deputy Provost. Like Moses Omayuli and Moses Ossai, he has also acted as a Deputy Provost for two tenures in the past. Though qualified, stakeholders said, he has so many bad records against him. First and foremost, he was accused of extreme rigidity in his administrative/leadership style.  Added to this, is that age is not on his side and he is said to lack the ideals of a young vibrant administrator that could turn things around for the college.