NIIA Director of Admin and Finance, Bridget Otobo, alerted Onyeama about the chaos at Nigeria’s foremost foreign policy think-tank
By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
A litany of academic and financial fraud in the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), is being ignored by the minister of foreign affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, a fresh memo obtained by TheNiche has revealed.
TheNiche had in the past reported how a former director-general of the NIIA, Professor Bukar Bukarambe, lowered standards in appointments, elevated junior staff above their seniors, and allegedly covered up for a certificate forger, Joshua Bolarinwa.
The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) had exposed Bolarinwa, a senior research fellow, for allegedly presenting forged documents and signatures claiming to be an Associate Professor to obtain a gig with the university.
NOUN has blacklisted Bolarinwa, according to Ibrahim Sheme, its director of media and publicity.
This newspaper had also in the past reported how a Senior Research Fellow, Efem Ubi, took advantage of a successive leadership tussle in the NIIA by appointing himself the Acting Director of Research over and above a professor.
When Professor Eghosa Osaghae was later appointed the substantive NIIA DG in April 2021, he ignored the alleged rascality of Ubi by retaining him on the post.
TheNiche has now obtained a memo written in September 2020 by the outgoing NIIA Director of Administration and Finance, Bridget Otobo,, to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, about the chaos in the NIIA.
Nearly one-and-half years that the memo was written, the concerns raised by the director have only worsened.
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Otobo had told the minister that:
“1. Acting Head of the Research Department has no appointment letter. He was only appointed Senior Research Fellow. He appointed himself (Acting Head of the Research Department).
“2. Prof. Fred Agwu was appointed Ag. Head of the Research by Prof Bukar, former DG, in April 2018.
“3. Prof Fred Agwu, as the only professor, conducted the assessment exercise for Senior Research Fellows with the approval by Bukar that three external professors be invited to conduct the exercise to improve the quality of research coming out of the NIIA and for fairness / objectivity. The budget was approved by Bukar and the exercise concluded. The Research Fellows rose against this decision, arm twisted Prof. Bukar and recommended an illegality. They want to assess themselves. Prof. Bukar became afraid. In order to avoid a public protest that ended the tenure of his predecessor, Prof Akinterinwa, he agreed. He asked Prof. Fred to cancel the assessment and allow the Research Fellows assess themselves. Fred responded that it was unethical and not in accordance with extant rules.
“Prof Bukar without following due process single-handed asked Fred to handover and appointed Dr Sharkdam to conduct the illegal assessment where four Senior Research Fellows assessed themselves and awarded themselves Annual Salary Increment. Records of both assessments are available, Sir. Members of the Council were not consulted and some objected to this move in the Abuja meeting.
“4. The Research Department has always been the problem. They no longer focus on the vision or mandate of the institute or what is best for the institution. They are more concerned with their personal agenda, promotion without adding value to the institute. Cut and paste publications, plagiarism has been rampant. Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi had to sack 10 Research Fellows to attain his lofty goals. I will not recommend that but they each need to be warned that the institute is not a political entity where Godfatherism in the Council will endorse illegalities that foster mediocrity to the detriment of an international think-tank like the NIIA.
“5. There is a growing trend that needs to be nipped in the bud. Researchers are committing disgraceful acts of misconduct. (a) One calls himself an Acting Head of a Department without an appointment letter. (b) National Open University of Nigeria sends the NIIA a letter blacklisting one of our Senior Research Fellows for impropriety. He is also accused for Falsification of records- three dates of birth, forgery of letters stating that he is an Associate Professor when he is actually a Senior Research Fellow. (c) One went on Leave of Absence to serve the Government on the Amnesty program and has been suspended and disgraced out of office for fraudulent actions. (d) Four Senior Researchers assess themselves. This is very bad for the image of a global think-tank. They attract media attention.
“6. The Governing Council in her recent meeting in Abuja took certain decisions that were illegal against the position of some members who wanted things done rightly. The Protem Chairman vehemently refused for the circular on succession of executives in parastatals to be read out in the meeting to empower members to make informed decisions. He endorsed the following decisions. (a) Against opposition from some members, he went ahead with his supporters to set aside the appointment of Dr. Heen on 8th June 2020, endorse the appointment of Ubi as the Acting Director General as recommended by the council in a virtual meeting organised by Ubi on 9th June 2020 soliciting for the confirmation of his position of Acting DG based on an illegal appointment made by the former DG after his tenure ended. This is against the NIIA Act which states that the Presidency appoints Directors General while the Council appoints only Directors to head Departments.
“The Presidency has delegated that function to the Ministry. Consequently, the action taking by the Protem Chairman and his supporters is an abuse of power and against extant rules as stated in the relevant circular. (b) Within one week, Ubi connived with the Chief Accountant and another Assistant to remove over N1.4 million which was kept in a personal account as authorised by Prof Bukar against Financial Reports. The money was paid to the Members of the Governing Council as approved by him in a memo dated 11 June. The Director of Administration and Finance was not aware because the money was stashed in a private account supervised by only Professor Bukarambe and the Chief Accountant. The Director only knew when Dr. Heen assumed duty as interim DG. Consequently, she issued queries to the two officers in her department. The officers boldly used the platform to also pay themselves allowances despite the fact that they are not members of the Council or the Secretariat and padded the budget.
“In response to the preliminary letters, the Chief Accountant indicted himself. The other officer having the full backing of a member of council refused to collect his query. The member of the Council told them not to answer the queries and brought the queries to the Abuja meeting for circulation. The Chief Account after seeing the query adjusted the expenses downward with supporting documents that raised further acts of misconduct.”
Otobo therefore appealed to Onyeama to intervene by setting things right.
She had said: “I am starting my three months Pre-order retirement leave as I turn 60 on January 2, 2021. I want the Council and staff to change for the progress of our nation. I have suffered insults and death threats with even a machete. I have forgiven everyone to move ahead.”
