WHO REALLY OWNS THE BELLS UNIVERSITY?

By Jide Ayobolu <jideayobolu@yahoo.co.uk>

Aug 19, 2006

Some few months back Nuhu Ribadu the EFCC boss said there was no way president Olusegun Obasanjo can be linked to the Bells University.  Dr. Onaolapo Soleye, the chairman of the governing council of the Bells group of schools then, made a categorical statement to the fact that, he was the bona fide owner of the institution of higher learning in question. But not too long after that, he fell out of favour with the president and he was summarily eased out of the system. But quite frankly the matter was conveniently wept under the carpet. However, it is common knowledge that the president owns the Bells secondary school in Ota, Ogun State.

At the juncture, it is very important to point out that recently president Obasanjo made an unscheduled visit to the Bells University of Technology ordering a comprehensive report on the cause of the landslide which killed four staff of a construction company working on the University’s premises. It would be recalled that four workers were buried alive by a landslide, while digging the foundation of the institution’s library with others sustaining serious injuries. Although the workers were eager to return to site, the president directed that work on site should be suspended until further notice, even as he demanded a comprehensive report on the unfortunate incident.

Therefore, the question that readily comes to mind is that what is the president doing in the premises of Bells University and dishing out instructions, if he is indeed not the owner of the university in question? Albeit, it can be said that since he his the president of the country and with the incessant spate of collapse buildings, he has every right to visit the place and give stern warning to forestall any kind of future occurrence. But when there was a building collapsed in Abuja the President never visited the place, also recently when some buildings in Port-Harcourt and Lagos collapsed, where several innocent lives were lost the president never paid a condolence visited to commiserate with the families of the death. This goes to show very convincingly that the president has more than a passing interest in the university in Ota.

Now, it is important to state very expressly that when the president came on board in 1999 he said categorically that, one of the cardinal policy of his administration was the fight against corruption, he explained that, they will be no sacred cows, and that all hands will be on deck to deal decisively about the scourge of graft in our midst. Not only that, he further opined that, transparency, probity, due process, anti-corruption and service to the people will be the hallmark of his administration, but  while will a sitting president that has talked so much about the fact that, it not going to be business as usual give the certificate to operate to himself while still in power? If some less political office holders have done the same thing Ribadu will be all over the place abusing them and calling them unprintable names. Is this how to truly show leadership by example? Is this how to properly govern the country? Is this how to positively move the country forward? Is this the very essence of a democratically elected government?

If those at the helm of affairs fail to do the right thing, the right way, how can they ensure that the people they govern do the right thing? Or is this another case of blind trust brouhaha? Perhaps those in positions of authority have forgotten that they are responsible to the people that elected them into office? But the way they are behaving, shows that they don’t care a hoot about the feelings and the plight of the people. And, they think they are actually the masters and not the servant of the people.

In any case, what the president has done is morally and ethically wrong, such actions do not speak well of the president, as the father of the nation, he is showing very bad example. But one thing he should not forget is that, whatever he does right or otherwise, history and posterity will judge him.

 By

Jide Ayobolu

No 19 Gongola Street

Garki-Abuja