The Rector collects millions for frivolous trips she never makes, records show.
After amassing several thousands of naira on hotel bills for guests, Kudirat Oladipo, the Rector of Yaba College of Technology, Yabatech, faced a prickly school accountant who required proof the visitors were not Mrs. Oladipo's private callers, before making payment.
"Please provide documents and /or explanations to establish the nexus between the individuals who incurred the bills and official functions or business of the college," the official wrote in an internal memo to his boss.
Mrs. Ladipo overruled the demand, and almost effortlessly secured clearance. But her staff say it was a handy opportunity for the Rector, long suspected of cornering school funds to treat her private guests to lavish reception, to dispel the concerns.
In one year, according to documents seen by PREMIUM TIMES and interviews with officials, Mrs. Oladipo spent N15 million in accumulated costs including hotel bills on such controversial guests.
The spending fall amongst a raft of documented financial abuses against the Rector, which have triggered multiple investigations, one by a government panel, and two others by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences commission, ICPC.
The allegations
Officials at the nation's premier tertiary institution, who would only speak on anonymity, speak figuratively of the school's academic excellence and financial probity now residing in the gutters; as Mrs. Ladipo spearheads a regime of desperate financial malfeasance driven by a criminal make-hay-while-the-sun-shines mentality. Weeks of PREMIUM TIMES investigation gives weight to that claim.
A detailed petition sent to the ICPC and the EFCC contains a long list of alleged financial recklessness, utter disregard of extant Civil Service rules, cover-up, nepotism, contract splitting, as well as lobbying to truncate the conversion of the college into a full-fledged university.
Questionable Generator contract
Contrary to federal procurement regulations, in March 2010, Mrs. Oladipo unilaterally approved the purchase of a 650 KVA generator from Cummins Limited for N24 million and, separately awarded another N1.2 million contract for the installation of the generator.
In her dispatch to the College's Governing Council, the Rector claimed the need for the contract was urgent, requesting she be granted an anticipatory approval. However, documents seen by this website show that the Rector only filed the request long after submitting a letter to Cummins Limited for the supply of the plant.
In hunt for the deal, Mrs. Oladipo also brushed aside the institution's tender board, which is the approving authority for such procurements. Despite the governing council holding several meetings after March, the purchase of the generator was only formally reported 15 months after the purchase – in July 2011.
The reason for the hasty approach to the contract, with apparent violations of federal procurement regulations, only became clear when Zenith Bank donated an identical 650KVA generator to the college. It turned out the bank purchased the same plant make for N17 million- N7 million less than what the school paid at the instance of the boss.
For Mrs. Oladipo, the power generators do not merely produce electricity; they also bring illicit wealth as shown in other violations. On May 18, 2010, again flouting all known stipulations, and over the head of the tenders board, she approved an outrageous N9.5 million to be paid to Cummins limited (her preferred supplier) for the repair of a 1.5 MVA generator. The generator broke down shortly after the repair and later, stopped working all together.
Two other instances show how college funds were allegedly cornered by the Rector: on May 14, 2010, without recourse to appropriate financial negotiation and going over the head of other principal officers of the college, she leased a generator for N1.8 million; and on July 13, 2012, hired some for N2.5 million.
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