IN what is clearly a clear-cut abuse of of office and an affront on the independence of the university, the Government of Ondo State withdraws Gani Fawehinmi’s honorary degree.
Read the details (from Nigerian Guardian) below:
ON Thursday, August 14, 2008 my chambers received a letter dated July 31, 2008 from Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba, Ondo State signed by the Registrar (B.A. Oloketuyi, JP (Mrs) informing me that the university has decided to confer on me an honorary doctorate degree as a mark of honour. The letter reads, inter alia, as follows:
“This award is in recognition of your contributions to the growth and development of our legal system in Nigeria. You are a thoroughbred, distinguished international legal luminary, a social critic of note whose singular voice has continued to bring positive changes and development to this country, an effective judicial administrator and a highly-respected son of Ondo state and community leader who continues to serve as a role model to generations of Nigerians and a shinning example in hard work and integrity.
It is hoped that you would accept the award which is given in the best of academic traditions of universities all over the world.”
On Monday, August 18, 2008, I instructed my chambers from London to write to the university accepting the offer. Suddenly the date of the conferment was shifted from September 12, 2008 to September 19, 2008.
At the weekend on Friday, September 12, 2008, a letter from the Registrar (B.A., Oloketuyi,, JP (Mrs.) of the University was received in my chambers at about 4.20 p.m. The letter reads thus:
“Ref. AD/REG/CONV/21/182
September 8, 2008
Chief Gani Fawehinmi,
Gani Fawehinmi Chambers,
35, Adeniran Ajao Road, Ajao Estate, Anthony Village,
Lagos.
Re: 2nd Convocation of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko
Our earlier correspondence on the above-mentioned subject Ref: No. AD/REG/CONV/21/173 dated July 31, 2008 refers, please.
I write to acknowledge the receipt of your reply Ref. No. GFC/ADM/RAAU/0818/2008 dated August 18, 2008.
However, I am to inform you that, owing to unavoidable circumstances, the offer of the award has had to be re-considered. This is because, on review, it has been discovered that three (3) eminent personalities in the legal profession were put up for the award. It has therefore become imperative that we reduce the number by one.
We crave your understanding on this matter, please, while any inconvenience caused by the development is highly regretted.
Closed with the assurances of our highest consideration.
B.A. Oloketuyi, JP (Mrs.)
Sgd..
Registrar”.
An insider information has revealed that the Governor of Ondo state Dr. Olusegun Agagu on hearing of the offer prevailed on the university to postpone the convocation and to withdraw the offer of conferment of the honorary doctorate degree on me.
I consider the intervention of the Governor of Ondo state in this matter as a clear-cut abuse of his office and an affront on the independence of the university. It must be clearly understood that the Adekunle Ajasin University belongs to the people of Ondo state and not the Governor of Ondo state.
The Governor and government of Ondo state have no authority under the law establishing the university to impose on the university those to be honoured by the university. What the Ondo state Governor and government have done in my case demeans the intellectual integrity of the university and violates the independence of the institution. It is not right for the university to succumb to the illegal, unconstitutional and immoral pressure from the Governor and government of Ondo state.
When I was awarded the Honorary Doctor of Laws by Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife in December 2003, I was at the forefront of the opposition to Obasanjo’s administration. As a matter of fact I contested the presidential election against General Olusegun Obasanjo in April 2003.
Despite all these, the Senate of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife approved the Honorary Doctorate Degree of Laws which was conferred on me on December 6, 2003. Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba should have done the same by standing its ground, defending its integrity and protecting its independence.
The barbaric action of Governor Agagu in this respect cannot stop me from continuing to criticise his regime for its corruption and election rigging, which of course has been unprecedented in the history of elections in Nigeria. What happened in the governorship election in Ondo state on April 14, 2007 was an abominable and despicable act of daylight electoral robbery. Justice demands that nobody should be allowed to profit from the proceeds of such robbery. My support for Dr. Rahman Olusegun Mimiko is total because it is based on truth and justice.
*Fawehinmi is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
The whole body of shame lies more with the University – Adekunle Ajasin and the Registrar – Mrs Oloketuyi, who has displayed such managerial incapability that one cannot wonder if she is qualified to hold such a position. How can a University fail to collate simple list of names of people to be given Honorary Degree? We smell a rat. Is Agagu that RAT? Well the true answer is known to God, Agagu and Mrs Oloketuyi. This is not Papa Fawehinmi’s loss but a loss of the University, who obviously has become a pawn on Agagu’s chess table. Proverbs 3:35 “The wise shall inherit glory; but shame shall be th promotion of fools”.
September 18, 2008 at 11:13 am
It was a great shame in the corridor of adminisrtation of a whole University of Integrity to involve in this kind of mess. For Christ sake, is Chief not deu to be shortlisted despite his pedigree in his the legal profession? I owe this shit to the entire Governing council which Oloketuyi is the incompetent sec. on the side of our INGLORIOUS uncle, i think SAN is not a new person to him.
It should be noted that, you people should not tarnish the image of my GLORIOUS school all in the name of incompetency ok, because EYES are watching you.
October 13, 2008 at 6:11 pm
The university ought to have check all the abnomalies before sending the letter. all the same they have right to their opinion on who they want to give their degree to.if they decide to withdraw it i see no reason why they should be crusified. papa should wait for God’s time.
best regards.
lanre johnson
October 21, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Infact, Chief Gani Fawehinmi deserves the award as an Indigene of the town and as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria who throughout his lifetime has being fighting for the masses of the land.
meanwhile, the Bible says thou shall not judge. Let us hear the truth from the Governor before passing any comments or judgement on our dear Governor because the Bible says we should respect all our leaders.
Let the leaders/elders of the State call a truce meeting between the Governor and Chief Gani Fawehinmi for the sake of our dear Ondo State.
Chief, we are in a democratic era, you are free to support anybody but not to the detriment of the good people of the Sunshine state. We should not wash our white linen in the public market for others to make mockery of us.
October 23, 2008 at 4:28 am
It’s very pathetic, I read the story, the fact did not add up. Pls stop blaming Mrs Oloketuyi; she is only taken order from above.
October 23, 2008 at 10:10 am
I felt so disturbed each time i fail to see those that meant to to things in a mature and proffesional way behaving babarically. Cheif Gani. you are not meant to saying anything, a word has already spoken itself “truley we may have a million stars in the sky but they can never outsine the moon,’God has honour you already,leave them and be watching what will be the returned of their foolishness(the entire university) Black men with black mentality.
07028343965
December 8, 2008 at 11:50 am
Honestly speaking ,it is an embarrasement of international dimension to all of us for our failure to react at the appropriate time of the incidence to that stupid and barbaric withdrawal of the award.
No wonder that there is no single recognised University in Nigeria when you visit the website of 568 recognised universities in the world.It is not that Nigeria Universities lack the academic content or qualified lecturers but principally because they lack the academic confidence of technocrats for political reason.Technocrats all over the world do not succumb to political pressure the way it happens in Nigeria.
However,the case was like when Obafemi Awolowo University Ado Ekiti was changed to Ondo State University by Gov OTIKO the then governor of Ondo State.In not too long distance Obafemi Awolowo University was given to University of Ife by the Federal government of Nigeria.
Conclusively,the Kings house that burnt brought beauty,event will prove me right in the next few months.
March 3, 2009 at 8:12 am
today where is olusegun agagu?that means only GOD knows tommorow
May 27, 2009 at 7:28 am