In the second and final part of a two-part series of this special report, SODIQ LAWAL CHOCOMILO interviews some academic and non-academic staff of the University of Ilesa. They opened up about their struggles and how the low payment from the institution had made their lives miserable. Some staff spoke about how they could not further their education, while others narrated the damaging effects on their close relatives, most importantly wives and children.
Important Notice from the Management
Barely four hours after the first part of a two-part series of this report titled ‘UNI-ILESA: Inside Osun Public University, where students pay more than N300k as school fees, lecturers earn N23,896.26k’, a two-paragraph article titled ‘Important Notice’, which was authored and signed by the registrar of the varsity, was forwarded to this reporter by one of our ardent readers. A screenshot of the said two-paragraph notice is attached to this report.
The management of the University of Ilesa, through her registrar, stated in the two-paragraph notice that it is doing its best to address the concerns of the temporary staff, asking them to be patient till concerted efforts yield positive results. It also asked temporary staff with higher academic qualifications to submit their credentials for their records to be updated. However, the management kept silent on the sum of N23,896.26k that every temporary staff member earns monthly, which was mentioned in the previous report and attached with a receipt.
DISCLAIMER BY A GROUP OF TEMPORARY STAFF
The following day, after the first part of a two-part series of this report went viral, one of our sources contacted the reporter and disclosed that the school has been working tediously to unravel the identity and profile of the reporter to know those who associate with him at the college. This source also argued that the reporter should not come into the school at the moment because any temporary staff he associates with would be sanctioned or possibly dismissed.
I told this source that I had gathered sufficient information, including evidence such as receipts, and conducted interviews with those deeply concerned about the affairs of the school during my previous visits to the institution before the release of the first part of a two-part investigative series. Barely two hours after I had discussed it with my source, a four-paragraph article by a group of persons identified as ‘Leadership of Temporary Staff of the University of Ilesa’ was forwarded to me by one of our ardent readers who came across it on social media.
The group only distanced itself from the reporter but did not deny the payment of N23,896.26k as a monthly salary for academic and non-academic staff of the newly established varsity. Both the management and a group that claims to represent temporary staff in the institution did not deny or debunk major claims in the report, which are that an average student of the varsity, regardless of course, pays more than N300,000 as school fees aside from the N45,000 acceptance fee, and a temporary staff, either academic or non-academic, including those who have higher academic qualifications, earns N23,896.26K as a monthly salary.
When the reporter contacted one of his sources in the school on Thursday, February 29, to confirm if there was an increment in salary, the source told this reporter that it was too early for them to receive the sum of N23,896.26k as a monthly salary. They usually pay us in the second week of another month, he told the reporter. The receipt, which was previously attached to the first part of a two-part investigative series, revealed that the beneficiary received the alert for January salary on February 11.
LECTURER WHO ALSO WORKED AS A PART-TIME TEACHER IN SECONDARY SCHOOL
Abiodun (not the actual name), a temporary staff member (academics), while decrying the poor payment, told WITHIN NIGERIA that he had no choice but to start teaching as a part-time teacher in a private secondary school to make ends meet.
According to Abiodun, the N23,896.26k salary cannot sustain his family of three in this harsh and terrible economic situation in the country.
Abiodun claimed that he took a part-time job as an alternative because he’s not ready to tow the path of fraud or criminal activities as a law-abiding citizen.
LECTURER WHO ALSO WORKED AS A POS OPERATOR
Another lecturer identified as Jeremiah told WITHIN NIGERIA that several complaints from his wife drove him to the POS business because he needed more income.
Jeremiah, who revealed that his expenses are still larger than his income despite taking the POS business as an alternative, further stated that the new business has denied him the opportunity to dedicate his time and energy to teaching.
According to Jeremiah, he rushes to his POS stand after leaving school early so that he will be able to make profits to cater for his family’s needs.
‘I have two sons and one daughter. They go to private schools. I’ve not paid their school fees as I speak to you. We live on my little earnings from POS and my wife’s earnings too. Despite my love for teaching, I’m considering opting out because I cannot continue with the maltreatment through ridiculous pay.”.
Jeremiah claimed that the current management inherited the sum of N23,896.22k as monthly pay for temporary staff when the citadel was formerly a college, but it bothers me that they have not adjusted the pay despite the harsh economy of the country occasioned by fuel subsidy removal and inflation.
NON-ACADEMIC STAFF WHO ALSO WORKED AS A SECURITY GUARD
Adebisi (not actual name), a non-academic staff member of the university, told WITHIN NIGERIA that he has been coping with the little pay until inflation occasioned by fuel subsidy removal worsened the economy, which made living difficult for him.
According to Adebisi, he was employed as a temporary staff member (non-academic) six years ago with a monthly pay of N23,896.26k, but things were relatively cheaper than now.
“I took the job because I was desperately in need of work to sustain my family. I thought things would improve and there would be rooms for growth, either to become permanent staff or to still be able to earn well as temporary staff.”.
I THOUGHT MY LIFE WOULD CHANGE AFTER UPGRADING THE COLLEGE INTO VARSITY – REMI
Remi (not real name), a temporary staff member of the varsity, told WITHIN NIGERIA that she was happy when she heard that the college would be upgraded to university because she thought it would change her life forever.
According to Remi, she was expecting some temporary staff, especially non-academic, to be adopted into new departments, but her expectations were cut short by the decisions of the management to employ new people, as if the temporary staff were not capable of the new task.
Remi, while recounting her sad experiences, told WITHIN NIGERIA that she has suffered a lot as a staff member, but it worsened after fuel subsidy removal.
I could barely eat. A bag of rice is N82,000. One kg of cooking gas is N1400. 1 liter of kerosene is N1300. I have two kids. My husband is a private school teacher who earns N35,000 per month. How would I survive with my family with a salary of N23,896.22K? Remi inquired.