The academic community of Adeyemi University of Education, Ondo, is currently in confusion following the uncertainty on who now heads the institution between Prof Richard King and Prof. Olukoya Ogen.
King was appointed the Vice Chancellor of the institution in May, 2015, when the College of Education was upgraded to a university while Ogen was the Provost when the institution was a College of Education.
It was gathered that the confusion ensued following the purported reversal of the varsity status of the school to a college of education.
Ogen, who had earlier vacated the position following the upgrading of the school by the immediate past administration of Dr Goodluck Jonathan, had been asked to resume as the Provost.
A recent media report claimed that all the Colleges of Education, upgraded to varsities by the immediate past administration, had been reversed to their former status by the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Apart from the Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo other affected colleges of education included the Federal College of Education, Zaria; Kaduna State, Federal College of Education, Kano; Kano State, and the Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri, Imo State.
A source said letters were sent to all the ‘sacked’ Provosts of the affected institutions to return to their duty posts. Ogen was said to have also received the letter of resumption which, according to a source, was dated August 19.
Our correspondent also learnt that King issued a circular to all the staff of AUE on Monday that he remained the head of the institution inspite of the letter said to have been issued to Ogen to resume his post as the Provost of the institution.
According to the source, the memo stated that King claimed that he had not received any memo from the Federal Government, directing him to leave as the Vice Chancellor of the institution.
He was said to have advised members of staff in the institution to go about their lawful duties in the said internal memo .
Meanwhile, a top employee, who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity, confirmed the development, saying the staff were confused over whom to obey between the two heads,
According to him, there had not been any official announcement from the Federal Government and the school also had not received any circular to that effect.