Strong indications have emerged that the crisis rocking Kwara State College of Education (COED), Ilorin was fuelled by a bye-law allegedly introduced into the college system by its suspended Governing Council Chairman, Engr Musa Yeketi.

The bye-law was said to have empowered the council to meddle in the college affairs, including signing of its bank schedules by the chairman. Investigation by National Pilot revealed that the controversial bye-law was one of issues raised by the embattled acting Provost of the College, Dr Ishola Abdulrahaman Ibrahim, in two separate petitions to the state House of Assembly.

Upon the House's investigation, it was gathered that the committee handling the matter had ordered COED council chairman to desist from using the bye-law, but he (Yeketi) later claimed "it was no longer bye-law but regulation." According to a White Paper by the panel set up to look into the college crisis and recommend appropriately, "The College enabling Law is defective in a number of respects.

In particular, it appears to lay emphasis on the powers and responsibilities of the Council without clearly defining the powers and responsibilities of the Management. This has resulted in the Council Chairmen seeing themselves as Executive Chairmen particularly as it relates to the management of funds. "For instance, the current Chairman, Engr. Musa Yeketi insists on approving all payments of the College and also signing bank schedules to accompany all payments of the College." The White Paper also noted: "The provision that Council should meet at least four times in a year has been abused with instances of Councils meeting up to 34 times in a particular year. That is also accompanied by outrageous allowance which Council members approve for themselves."

National Pilot has also gathered the House Committee's report, which is expected to be presented any moment from now that Following government intervention in the crisis rocking the Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin, there are strong indications that the suspended acting Provost of the college, , may be recalled. Aside the state government, the House of Assembly has also intervened in the matter to restore peace to the institution.

The college was said to have settled about four million naira car loan collected by him (the Yeketi) while serving as the Governing Board Chairman at Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin and allegedly approved N10 million car loan for five principal members of COED. According to our findings, the college terminated a contract with a private environmental outfit after paying its staff the first monthly salary. Each of the 120 cleaners engaged for the service was scheduled to be collecting N20, 000 per month.

It would be recalled that the probe panel, through its white paper, had recommended the suspension of the acting provost and that of the Dean Student Affairs, Mr. S. A. Oniyangi over alleged mismanagement of funds amounting to N43 million. But after the expiration of his one month suspension, the acting provost was asked to proceed on an accumulated leave. Prior to that, the college Sandwich Degree programmes affiliated with Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, had been cancelled by government to allow for maximum concentration on the National Certificate of Education (NCE) programmes run by the college.

Although the degree students staged a peaceful protest recently over their non-mobilization for the mandatory one year National Youth Service, the college was said to have paid the University the sum of N51 million as part of the debts it owed the school. Also as part of the reform, the college governing council was suspended indefinitely by the state government. A substantive provost is expected to emerge soon, even as there are indications that the acting provost may be recalled.

When contacted for comments, he (the acting provost) said at no point had he given bribe to any of the college principal members of staff, insisting that he would not approve any money without the council's knowledge. He said his administration had ensured smooth running of the college NCE programmes after the cancellation of the sandwich programme.

On his part, Yeketi told our reporter via text message that he was not in town but would return on Wednesday, this week for comments on the allegations.