Court orders UI to reinstate Akeredolu’s aide as lecturer

The National Labor Court, Ibadan Division, overturned the dismissal of a professor in the Department of Classics at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Dr Oladoyin Odebowale, by counsel from the institution.

Odebowale, a lawyer, who is currently the Senior Special Assistant on Strategy and Special Tasks to Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, was fired by the university in 2016 for allegedly claiming plagiarism was a bulwark in unemployment insurance.

But unhappy with the dismissal, Odebowale, through his lawyer, Mr Femi Aborisade, sued the university, saying his dismissal was not procedural.
Odebowale, aka High Priest, claimed he was not given a fair hearing by the university’s senior staff discipline committee, which had examined the complaints against him.

He argued that, contrary to the provisions of the University’s Staff Manual: Rules and Regulations Governing the Terms of Service for Senior Officials of August 2003, the SSDC had not disclosed to him the identity of the persons who had filed the complaints. which gave rise to the question that had been addressed to him.

He described as “perverse” the recommendation of the SSDC, on which the university council followed up by serving a letter of dismissal dated September 7, 2016.

The court, in a judgment rendered on November 18, 2021 by Judge J. D. Peters, ruled in favor of Odebowale against the university.

The judge said: “I declare that the dismissal of the plaintiff by the defendants did not follow the statutory provisions set out in Exhibit C3. I have set aside all the steps taken by the defendants leading to the dismissal of the plaintiff.

“I canceled the letter from the second defendant dated 7/9/16. I hereby make an order reinstating the Claimant in his position as lecturer 1, without any loss of earnings, wages, allowances, perquisites of function, seniority, privileges, pension rights and right to promotion, without any interruption of service. , as if the claimant has never been dismissed.