Appoint Core Professional As Education Commissioner, Not Politicians, Ogun Students Urge Abiodun

Adenike Sanusi

ABEOKUTA - Ogun state students have called on the Ogun state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun to urgently appoint a core educationist as substantive Commissioner for Education in the state. 

The students under the umbrella of National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS) and National Association of Nigerian Students, Ogun State axis made the call in a statement jointly signed by its National President, Comrade Oluwagbemileke Ogunrombi and Chairman of NANS in Ogun state, Bamgbose Tomiwa in Abeokuta on Monday.

The Encounter News reports since the resignation of Prof. Sidi Osho as Commissioner for Education in the state, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Mrs. Ronke Soyombo has taken over the Education sector of the state as the senior political appointee in the ministry.

But the students in a press statement urged governor Abiodun to appoint well experienced and professional as commissioner for education, describing political appointees in the ministry as emergency educationists who are more concerned about grabbing public attention. 

They insisted that, as a major stakeholder in the education sector, they would not standby and watch the sector collapse as a result of the leadership vacuum in the Ministry of Education.

They demanded that Governor Abiodun appoint an experienced educationalist who is not lesser than a professor as the Commissioner to pilot the affairs of the Ministry of Education in the State.

"While believe in the leadership capacity of Governor Abiodun and trust his ability to turn around the fortunes of the State for good, we appeal to him to shop for a credible, reliable and capable Ogun indigene from tertiary institutions across the country to appoint as a Commissioner for Education."

The student body noted that, the sector has been undeveloped and suffered for long in the hands of those they described as "nonprofessionals and emergency educationalists" who are just "mere window dressers".

"We have observed with disappointment and displeasure the manner at which the Ministry of Education is being run by political appointees of the Governor.

"More often than not, these appointees play political games, trying to outwit each other and engaging in unprofessional activities in an attempt to grab the Governor's attention.

"The activities of these appointees have further slowed down the development of the education sector and brought the reputation of the State as a leading State in provision of qualitative and quantitative education into disrepute.

"This is not what we want for our education sector. The people of Ogun State deserves a vibrant, experienced and professional Commissioner for Education who knows his onions and who can bring unprecedented development to the sector and not emergency educationists who are more concerned about grabbing public attention.

"We want to see purposeful and impactful development in the education sector. We want an experienced professional appointed as the Commissioner for Education and not a mere window dresser," the students insisted.