Controversial University of Calabar lecturer, Joseph Odok, says he cannot in the present circumstance, tender to the university authority, a letter of resignation, signifying his intention to disengage from the university. Rather, he maintains that “I will remain in the system and fight the ills that seriously threaten the survival of the system.”
Odok who spoke with www.calitown.com in the wee hours of today, also disclosed that “…the university just suspended me again, … a suspension done absolutely in bad faith. Consider too that they are aware that l am on a 90 days exemption from duty on medical recommendation and also for the security threat on my life. Let us all understand that the Vice Chancellor inviting me to appear before a disciplinary committee when he has before him an exemption letter based on security advice from police on threats to my life will mean endangering my life.”He added further that his “suspension was based on the lie that I did not reply my query; you can read the suspension letter and see the replies.”
Indeed, www.calitown.com, was shown a copy of the query first despatched to him on April 7, 2017 and signed by the university’s registrar, Moses O. Abang. Titled, “Re: A Tissue Of Truth On Unical Convocation”, the query was specific that Odok’s post on social media, under the same heading was unacceptable to authorities of the university. He was immediately directed to respond to the query within 48 hours and show reason why disciplinary action should not be taken against him. He was served another query on April 11, 2017. Odok showed evidence that he replied the queries on April 12, 2017.
Five months after, he was served a letter, dated September 25, 2017, recalling him from suspension and further informing him that the school’s bursar has directives to place him on half salary. This appears not to have gone down well with Odok. He maintained to www.calitown.com that “… no where in history will one be recalled from suspension and still be placed on salary. The Vice Chancellor recalled me to come back to where I had security threats for an intention only he know.”
Sources within the institution however maintain that Odok’s submissions cannot be tackled on the pages of newspapers and on social media. “There are administratuve ways and means to issues like this and the earlier someone like Odok understands this, the better it will be for him. I am sure we all do understand that the VC is too busy administering Unical and abandoning that to concentrate on Odok will be a disservice to the institution. We do not expect him to disengage from Unical, let him stay back and administratively answer to the institution; we wish him well”, the source said.
