By Samuel Ojo
Few months ago, l wrote for public reading the good works embarked upon by the Ag.Rector of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo – Dr.Lawson Sunday Olorunwa.
I was impressed to give an account of his first 100 days in office seeing the steps taken on assumption of duty to right the many wrongs in the system.
Ojo, a former spokesman of RUGIPO and public affairs commentator, writes from Akure.
Just few months after his 100 days, it is appalling that Rugipo is going down the drain again.
One would have thought that the Ag.rector had a clear vision to transform the ruined institution, not knowing that the 100 days achievements were just to cajole the Government and the Polytechnic Community.
It is now very clear that going by the avalanche of complaints from stakeholders and the Polytechnic Community, his governance is negatively affecting the institution, it is necessary to call his attention to some flaws before the entire system collapsed.
My dear rector, you need to stop incessant travelling and sit at work to translate your ideas to impact the institution.
Frequent aimless air trips to Abuja and your entourage is causing a leakage to the finance of the institution. If it is not Abuja today, it is Lagos tomorrow thus chasing shadows and consuming a lot of night allowances
You are still new on this job, Sit down and brainstorm with your team to bring back the fortunes of Rugipo.
Running to meet the alumni and making unnecessary demands may not help out. Create an alumni office and make it functional and dignify your office.
What is your office doing about ARTISAN CENTRE, How has the centre impacted the community and Ondo State at large?This is a question begging for an answer. You were in the Polytechnic in the days of Prof Igbwkele Ajibefun. You are a living witness to the gains from Artisans to tbe institution and the host Community.. Mr.rector, wake up to responsibility.
You belong to Engineering by discipline, particularly, Agricultural Engineering, what is your dream about the department for the benefit of the system and host communities.?
In the days of Ajibefun, he created Faculty of Agriculture and the benefits from the Faculty were very obvious to the entire system. Today under your watch, common vegetable cannot emerge from this Faculty and you have large land space unutilised.
Why are you always out of schedule and choose travelling as a hobby all the time? Tell us the outcome of these trips, it is milking the institution.
I learnt recently that under your watch, the institution had to borrow #12m to support subvention to pay staff salary when the institution has many endowed human and material resources that can make the institution buoyant in an effective administration.
Along the line was a flimsy excuse that money paid on gratuity drained the institution. The question is what exactly has been paid as gratuity?
The ones paid were done after weeping and groaning as if one day you will not retire. Mind you your position is not permanent.
The recent policy by your administration to stop further payment of gratuities to retirees who had spent their lifetime to serve the institution can not work and if not revisited, such killing policy will be challenged in the court.
You need a serious minded think tank and not window dressers to help you succeed.
During Ajibefun’s tenure, the institution enjoyed foreign exchange and research funds. Ajibefun travelled purposefully and of course brought Dr. Shever of Galilee institute in lsrael to Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo.
You happened not by accident to be a beneficiary of this noble gesture.
Do something similar for a legacy. Prof Ajibefun is still alive and he is the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology in Ondo- State, learn from his approach and strategy.
It is not too late to align yourself to the realities on ground so as to lay a legacy for your tenure.
Plan to make Rugipo better: You have the resources.
