From Noah Ocheni, Anyigba
The Vice Chancellor of Prince Abubakar Audu University Anyigba, (PAAU) Prof. Marietu Ohunene Tenuche has challenged Alumni Associations in the society to contribute their personal resources to develop their Alma-Mata rather than depending on students’ dues.
Prof. Tenuche gave the challenge at a press briefing held at the old lecture theatre of the University while denying being dragged to Court by the KSU Alumni Association over #31m frauds.
She expressed dismay over the attitudes of the leadership of KSU Alumni Association that splitted into factions pursuing personal interest in the law courts rather than striding towards the development of their Alma-Mata.
She pointed out that the Alumni Association of Kogi State University has been enmeshed in leadership crises for years now, with two factions, all laying claim to legitimacy as National Executives of the Association.
“Contrary to the purpose of Alumni Associations, the world over, the Kogi State University Management has been, for many years, dealing with a few individuals, who, rather than seek to pursue the ideals of an Alumni Association, resorted to devising ways of milking the University dry, at all cost.”
She pointed out that the publication
that ‘Kogi State University female VC dragged to Court over alleged diversion of N31Million’ was deliberately set up to mislead the public and cause grave disaffection to the person of the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Tenuche.
She stressed that the perpetrators were bent on bringing their alma mata and her leadership to disrepute, to satisfy their personal aggrandizement, under the guise of “pursing the interest of the alumni association”, without an attempt at verifying the news.
The VC stressed that Suit No.: AYHC/03/2023 pending before the Kogi State High Court of Justice, siting in Anyigba, has no link whatsoever, with an allegation of fraud against the office and person of the Vice Chancellor of the University.”
Angered by the decision of the University not to give recognition to their faction, the Vice Chancellor disclosed that the arrow-heads of that faction filed an action against the University and made the Vice Chancellor a co-defendant.
“Other demands of the dua before now are that; funds, they claimed, belong to the Alumni Association, a reason why they dragged the immediate past University Management to Court.”
After the release of #17 million, Prof. Ohunene confirmed the closure of the University Development Account formerly (Alumni Account) and stopped collection of Development Levies from graduating students of the University as was previously done before the emergence of the present University Administration.
