Five years after, seven sacked YABATECH workers return

Five years after their sack, some Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Lagos State workers, who were reinstated in January, relived their fight for reabsorption. KOFOWOROLA BELO-OSAGIE reports.

Theirs is a story of all is well that ends well. Five years after their sack, they were reinstated. To celebrate their return seven chartered accountants with Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) gathered friends, colleagues and members of various civil society organisations (CSOs) for a thanksgiving reception.

Eight of them were sent away between October 2013 and December 2014 during the tenure of the immediate past Rector, Dr Kudirat Ladipo because “their services were no longer needed.”

One of them, Basiru Adedeji, died before they were reabsorbed. He died in February, last year.

At the thanksgiving reception, their leader Mr Olu Ibirogba, thanked CSOs like Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Civil Liberties Organisaiton (CLO), Coalition Against Corrupt Leadership (CACOL), Centre for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) and the media for standing by them in their time of great need.

“We are here today because of those of you, who have decided to lend helping hands to those who are in distress. We are using this platform to thank our brothers and sisters for stretching their hands of assistance to us not asking for money to help us. We thank God eight of us were sent away, but we are back at work,” he said.

Ibirogba was the bursar when he was sacked in October 2013. Six others, Bamidele Ajinde (Chief Accountant); Olusola Dada (Chief Accountant), his wife, Gbemisola (Chief Accountant); Mopelola Ibitomi (Assistant Chief Accountant); Temilola Akinwusi (Assistant Chief Accountant) and the late Adedeji were sent away a year later in September 2014. Charles Akharayi (Chief Accountant), the eighth person, got his termination letter in December 2014.

They resumed on January 15, 2019. But Ibirogba was reinstated five months before others.

Their reinstatement followed the verdict of the National Industrial Court (NIC) last year. Ibirogba’s case was the first to be decided last June when Justice O. A. Obaseki-Osaghae directed YABATECH to reinstate him as bursar and pay damages of N21 million-apart from the payment of all his salaries and entitlement for the five-year period.This led to his being recalled in August 2018.

Justice Obaseki-Osaghae had declared his sack null and void, and “in gross violation of Section 17 (3) of the Federal Polytechnic Act, extant civil service rules and an affront to the judgment of this court.”

The Judge also directed that relevant law- enforcement agencies like the Police, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) should investigate Ibirogba’s allegations against Dr Ladipo’s administration.

The cases against the other seven also went in their favour last December and the court asked them to be returned to their jobs with their monies paid. On their return, they were placed in new positions they would have attained if their appointment had not been terminated. Many, who were principal accountants, are now Chief Accountants or Assistant Chief Accountants.

Ibirogba thanked the government for allowing due process to take its course. “We wrote to many influential Nigerians to help us; some did not do anything. But we thank God the present administration saw the letters written by CDHR, CLO and listened to them. We are saying this so when you are in trouble you can go to them. We thank the relevant authorities-the government, the Governing Council of the College, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo,” he said.

Ibirogba is now YABATECH’s Epe Campus Director-in charge of administrative matters for the institution. He was not reinstated as Bursar. Neither was he paid the N21 million based on an out-of-court settlement with the institution’s Governing Council. However, he said he was overjoyed that the eight workers were vindicated.

“The most important thing is that we have been vindicated. When the court says you have done the right thing and the relevant authorities of government have said you have done the right thing, I don’t want to pursue that.

“We already have an agreement now. It is the agreement we are trying to pursue its implementation. They (Council) said they would not pay the punitive charges of N20 million and the legal fees of N1 million, but they would pay my entitlements as a principal officer, who has completed his tenure in instalments. That is what we are addressing now,” he said.

Had he not spent five years in the trenches fighting for his job, Ibirogba said he would have used the time to undergo a Ph.D programme.

“My first Masters was in 2000 before I joined YABATECH. My second Masters was from the University of Leeds before this issue came up. I would have used that period to pursue my Ph.D, but I did not have the time and money,” he said.

On his part, Mr Charles Akharayi said surviving the five years of job wilderness was due to the Grace of God. He thanked the Governing Council led by Lateef Fagbemi for speeding their reinstatement.

“It was through the grace of God that one was able to survive.We thank the Governing Council Chairman, Chief Lateef Fagbemi as well as the Management Team headed by the Rector, Olufemi Omokungbe. They worked assiduously on the matter. After series of meetings during which it was decided it should be written to withdraw from the court after the consent judgment (agreement to resolve the case), the Council Chairman directed that we should be called back to resume. We are now doing the job and trying to fit into the system.Other workers are happy for us,” he said.

Regarding the late Adedeji, Akharayi said the institution was still working on his entitlement which would be passed on to his family. “We are in touch with the family. We visited when his first child wedded 23rd of last month. The Governing Council is still working on his entitlement and we are following up on it,” he said.

With both she and her husband affected by the infamous sack, Mrs Gbemisola Dada described the period as a trying one for her family. “You can imagine both husband and wife being affected. It was not easy. We thank God it is now over,” she said.

Speaking at the reception, the Rector, Mr Olufemi Omokungbe, an engineer, said the workers’ reinstatement was worth celebrating.

“We also give glory to God that everything has come to an end. Nobody can force anyone to retire at will. What happened to you, I also experienced a part of it. I salute your courage and give glory to God. The celebration you are having is worth celebrating.

“Now that you are back, you have to join hands to work for the progress of the College,” he said.