By Kola Idiaro
The recent publications and commentaries surrounding the appointment of the Deputy Provost of Kwara State College of Education, Oro, have generated considerable public interest and emotional reactions.
While every stakeholder has the right to express opinions on issues affecting the institution, it is equally important that such opinions are guided by facts, institutional history, fairness, and objectivity rather than selective narratives capable of creating division within the College community.
This rejoinder therefore seeks to correct several misleading impressions deliberately created in recent publications and to place the historical realities of leadership appointments in Kwara State College of Education, Oro, in proper perspective.
THE COLLEGE BELONGS TO ALL SENATORIAL DISTRICTS
Kwara State College of Education, Oro, was originally known as Kwara State College of Education, Oro-Ilorin because the institution commenced academic activities in Ilorin before its eventual relocation to Oro.
From inception, the College has remained a state institution belonging to all the three senatorial districts of Kwara State and not the exclusive preserve of any particular region.
Consequently, leadership appointments within the institution have historically reflected contributions and participation from all parts of the state.
HISTORICAL FACTS OF LEADERSHIP APPOINTMENTS
A careful examination of the leadership history of the College clearly disproves the current narrative suggesting domination by Kwara Central or marginalisation of any district.
EARLY YEARS OF THE COLLEGE
The pioneer Provost of the College, Dr. Peter Asun from Okene, Kwara North axis of old Kwara State (present-day Kogi State), served between 1981 and 1984.
Thereafter:
Late Professor Shehu Jimoh from Kwara Central served as Provost from 1984 to 1992.
During this same period:
Mr. T.O. Olabanji from Kwara South served as Registrar from 1984 to 2002 — an unprecedented 18-year tenure.
Mr. Z.O. Bamidele from Kwara South served as Deputy Provost.
Mr. D.D. Bayode from Kwara South served as Librarian.
Mr. D.O. Adeoye from Kwara South served as Bursar.
At that period, four out of the five principal management positions were occupied by officers from Kwara South, yet Kwara Central never raised petitions or embarked on campaigns of ethnic or sectional agitation.
Similarly:
Dr. J.A. Fatele from Kwara South also served as Deputy Provost between 1989 and 1992.
PERIOD OF ALHAJI M.A. AHMED
Between 1992 and 1997:
Alhaji M.A. Ahmed from Kwara Central served as Provost.
Mr. Z.O. Bamidele from Kwara South again served as Deputy Provost.
Again, the Registrar and Librarian positions remained occupied by officers from Kwara South concurrently for about 18 years without any uproar.
PERIOD OF PROFESSOR A.A. ARIYO
From 1997 to 2000:
Professor A.A. Ariyo from Kwara South served as Provost.
Dr. S.A. Taiwo from Kwara North served as Deputy Provost.
PERIOD OF DR. N.A. ODEDIRAN
Between 2002 and 2005:
Dr. N.A. Odediran from Kwara South served as Provost.
Dr. A.O. Durotolu from Kwara South served as Deputy Provost Administration.
Alhaji S.A. Yakub from Kwara Central served as Deputy Provost Academic.
Mallam S.O. Gegele from Kwara Central served as Registrar.
Mr. J.K. Balogun from Kwara South served as Bursar.
Deacon J.S. Opaleke from Kwara South served as Librarian.
Engr. A.T. Ayuba from Kwara Central served as Director of Works.
This clearly demonstrates that Kwara Central has never monopolised leadership positions as falsely portrayed.
SUBSEQUENT ADMINISTRATIONS
Between 2006 and 2009:
Dr. O.W. Arinde from Kwara South served as Provost.
Dr. A.A. Yahaya from Kwara North served as Deputy Provost Administration.
Dr. E.O. Olafimihan from Kwara South served as Deputy Provost Academic.
Mr. M.O. Ibrahim and later Alhaji Salihu Ahmed, both from Kwara Central, served as Registrars.
Between 2009 and 2014:
Dr. A.T. Oyatoye from Kwara South served as Provost.
Dr. O.A. Olowonirejuaro from Kwara South served as Deputy Provost Administration.
Mr. O.S. Alabi from Kwara North served as Deputy Provost Academic.
Alhaji Abdulganiyu Hanafi from Kwara Central served as Registrar.
Mallam Salisu Usman from Kwara North served as Bursar.
Pastor S.S. Bamidele from Kwara South served as Librarian.
Between 2014 and 2019:
Dr. O.A. Olowonirejuaro from Kwara South served as Provost.
Dr. M.L. Yusuf from Kwara Central served as Deputy Provost Administration.
Dr. S.O. Famuyide from Kwara South served as Deputy Provost Academic.
Thereafter:
Dr. A.S. Wahab from Kwara North later became Deputy Provost Academic and subsequently Acting Provost.
Dr. Ogunleye from Kwara South served as Deputy Provost.
Presently, Prof. M.A. Aremu serves as Provost. Dr I.I Adewumi from Kwara South just finished his tenure in April, 2026 as the deputy provost administration while Mr I. Isah from Kwara North is presently the deputy provost administration, leaving the office of the deputy provost academic vacant.
The records therefore speak for themselves.
FALSE CLAIM OF KWARA CENTRAL DOMINATION
The claim that Kwara Central seeks to dominate the College is therefore not only false but completely contradicted by historical facts.
There were periods when:
Kwara South simultaneously occupied the positions of Provost, Deputy Provost, Registrar, Bursar, and Librarian.
Kwara South retained the Registrarship for 18 uninterrupted years.
Kwara South occupied two out of the three principal officer positions for prolonged periods, even presently Kwara South occupies two out of the three (Provost and Bursar).
Yet no campaign of ethnic victimisation, sectional domination, or public agitation was initiated by Kwara Central.
It is therefore unfair and intellectually dishonest to suddenly portray the aspiration of a qualified candidate from Kwara Central as an attempt to “take over” the institution.
THE ISSUE OF ELECTION AND APPOINTMENT
Another misleading argument being circulated is that the Deputy Provost election automatically determines appointment.
This is historically inaccurate.
In Kwara State-owned tertiary institutions, elections are advisory and consultative in nature. The appointing authority retains constitutional and statutory powers to make final decisions based on broader institutional considerations.
Several individuals in the history of the College occupied the office of Deputy Provost without emerging through elections.
Among them are:
Mr. Z.O. Bamidele
Dr. J.A. Fatele
Dr. Durotolu
Late Dr. Taiwo
Late Alhaji AbdulRauf
Dr. Adebayo
Similarly:
Dr. M.L. Yusuf
Mr. Mankolo Haruna
Mr. Toyin Alabi
did not emerge victorious in electoral processes but were nevertheless appointed.
Therefore, presenting the current situation as unprecedented is factually incorrect.
More so, the Provost, who in this case was the INEC Chairman had a predetermined outcome — it was to coronate his preferred candidate. He has the perogative power to appoint Directors, but must be done in accordance with College Law, fairness, justice and good representation. He appointed 6 chief Lecturers from the Kwara South out of 16 Chief lecturers as Directors, 2 directors from Kwara Central out of 17 Chief lecturers and one from the Kwara North out of five Chief lecturers.
The lopsided appointment is a calculated attempt to favour one district against others. The Deans who head Schools are 6 in numbers, though by election. One from Kwara central, One from Kwara North and four from Kwara South. From the Deans and the Directors who are eligible voters and fifteen in total, Kwara South has 10, Kwara Central 3 and Kwara North 2.
This calculated attempt summarises the outcome of the election.
ADDITIONAL FACTS ON DR. NIKE SULYMAN-GIDADO’S CANDIDATURE
It is equally important to place on record the outstanding institutional pedigree, administrative experience, and longstanding commitment of Dr. Nike Sulyman-Gidado to the growth of Kwara State College of Education, Oro.
Dr. Nike Sulyman-Gidado is presently the most senior female lecturer in the College.
Over the years, she has served meritoriously in several strategic academic and administrative capacities, including:
Head, Department of English;
Director, Directorate of Continuing Education and IJMB; and currently,
Dean, School of Languages.
Her contributions to the academic development and stability of the institution are therefore neither accidental nor recent.
It is also noteworthy that this is the third time Dr. Nike Sulyman-Gidado is contesting for the position of Deputy Provost.
During the previous contest, she secured six votes — the same number of votes obtained by Dr. I.I. Adewumi, who was eventually appointed.
However, in the interest of equity, inclusiveness, and religious balance within the management structure of the College, Dr. Nike Sulyman-Gidado was persuaded to step down for Dr. I.I. Adewumi to allow for Christian representation in the position.
The persuasion was carried out by prominent stakeholders, namely:
Dr. Afeez Abolore, the then Commissioner for Tertiary Education;
Mr. S.O. Isiaka, then College Registrar; and
Alhaji Abolarin, who was then Chairman of the Governing Council,
all in the presence of the College Provost, Prof. M.A. Aremu.
Significantly, three out of these respected personalities are from Ilorin Emirate, yet at no time did anyone raise allegations of domination, marginalisation, or sectional control by Kwara Central.
Dr. Nike Sulyman-Gidado accepted the appeal in good faith and statesmanship. She was thereafter promised appointment as Director, Directorate of Undergraduate Programmes. Unfortunately, that promise was never fulfilled, as the position was eventually given to Dr. Akogun, who is now her co-contestant in the present exercise.
Against this background, it becomes necessary to ask objectively: who is truly being marginalised, and who is genuinely demonstrating sacrifice, patience, and commitment to institutional peace?
The current attempt to portray Dr. Nike Sulyman-Gidado’s aspiration as an agenda of domination is therefore unfair, misleading, and inconsistent with the historical realities within the institution.
Her aspiration represents not domination, but competence, experience, gender inclusion, institutional loyalty, and a legitimate opportunity for fairness after years of sacrifice and administrative service to the College.
GENDER REPRESENTATION AND INCLUSIVITY
One of the most unfortunate aspects of the ongoing narrative is the attempt to demonise the possibility of a qualified female academic occupying the office of Deputy Provost for the first time in the history of the institution.
Since the establishment of the College, no woman has ever served as Deputy Provost despite the enormous contributions of female academics to the growth and stability of the institution.
At a time when institutions globally are promoting gender inclusion and equal opportunities, it is disappointing that some individuals are uncomfortable with the possibility of a woman attaining such leadership position.
Equity must not be selective.
If stakeholders advocate senatorial balance, they should equally support gender balance and inclusiveness.
REJECTING SMEAR CAMPAIGNS
It is also necessary to reject the attempt to tarnish the image of Dr. Nike Sulyman-Gidado through unverified allegations that she had been “boasting” about securing appointment through political influence.
Dr. Nike Sulyman-Gidado is a respected academic, researcher, mentor, and administrator whose professional reputation speaks for itself.
It is highly improbable that such a distinguished scholar would engage in reckless public boasts attributed to her by faceless sources.
Such allegations appear designed purely to malign her character and poison public perception against her.
Institutional politics should never degenerate into character assassination.
THE DANGERS OF SECTIONAL AGITATION
The increasingly divisive narrative being promoted in some quarters risks creating avoidable tension within the College community.
Statements suggesting that one senatorial district “must” occupy certain positions at all costs undermine institutional unity and peaceful coexistence.
Leadership positions in public institutions should not be treated as exclusive regional inheritances.
Competence, institutional needs, experience, fairness, inclusiveness, and administrative discretion are all legitimate considerations in appointments.
It is important to note that several tertiary institutions in Kwara State currently have leadership structures dominated by particular districts without provoking the level of outrage being witnessed in this case.
For example:
At Kwara State University, Malete, both the Vice-Chancellor and Registrar are from Kwara South.
The immediate past Acting Rector of Kwara State Polytechnic was from Kwara South.
Kwara State Health Technology, Offa; School of Nursing, Oke-Ode; and IVTech, Ajase-Ipo are all headed by individuals from Kwara South.
None of these generated campaigns portraying such appointments as injustice or domination.
Why then should the aspiration of a qualified academic from Kwara Central suddenly become controversial?
THE NEED FOR OBJECTIVITY AND PEACE
This matter should not be reduced to emotional propaganda, ethnic mobilisation, or public pressure aimed at intimidating the appointing authority.
The appointing authority must be allowed to exercise its statutory responsibilities peacefully and objectively.
Ultimately, what should matter most is the continued growth, peace, stability, and academic excellence of Kwara State College of Education, Oro.
The institution belongs to all stakeholders irrespective of senatorial affiliation or gender.
No individual or district has an exclusive birthright to any office.
CONCLUSION
The historical records of Kwara State College of Education, Oro clearly establish the following facts:
Leadership positions in the College have historically rotated across all senatorial districts.
Kwara South has occupied multiple strategic offices simultaneously for several years without opposition from Kwara Central.
Elections for Deputy Provost have never been the sole determinant of appointment.
Several former Deputy Provosts emerged without winning elections.
The claim that Kwara Central seeks to dominate the institution is false and unsupported by history.
The smear campaign against Dr. Nike Sulyman-Gidado is unfair, unnecessary, and condemnable.
Gender inclusion remains a legitimate and important institutional consideration.
Stakeholders must therefore resist attempts to politicise and sectionalise the issue.
The peace, unity, integrity, and progress of Kwara State College of Education, Oro must remain paramount above sectional interests and emotional agitation.
Justice, fairness, inclusiveness, and institutional stability should guide all decisions.
Kola Idiaro writes from Abuja
