By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
The otherwise serene intellectual firmament of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), like most Nigerian public institutions, appears to have been turned into a terrain where might is right, and connections and other nepotistic inclinations, rather than academic accomplishments, are the yardsticks for appointments and promotions.
TheNiche had in the past reported several infractions of NIIA rules, beginning with the tenure of Professor Bola Akinterinwa, who reigned with iron fist in the institution until angry staff, including cleaners, protested against him.
His successor, Professor Bukar Bukarambe, lowered standards in appointments, elevated junior staff above their seniors, and allegedly covered up for a certificate forger.
The current DG, Professor Eghosa Osaghae, appears to be preserving the state of disorder in the institution, and even added more to it, TheNiche findings have revealed.
All these infractions have now become part of a petition, a copy of which TheNiche obtained from the Lagos State office of the Public Complaints Commission, which also corroborate our initial findings about the goings on at what was Nigeria’s foremost think-tank on foreign affairs.
Established in 1961 as a centre of excellence, the Institute was designed to serve as a specialised instrument of foreign policy formulation in Nigeria, serving as an intellectual base upon which decision-makers rely for informed opinion and expert advice in order to make rational choices between contending policy options.
But all those lofty goals seem to have gone with the wind due, essentially, to academic malfeasance and favoritism.
For instance, a Senior Research Fellow, Efem Ubi, who is on Grade Level 13, occupies the position of Acting Director of Research, over and above a Professor.
As if that is not bad enough, a Research Fellow, Joshua Olusegun Bolarinwa, who was exposed by the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) for obtaining employment with a fake credential, still holds sway in the institution.
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Revelations by this newspaper two years ago that he falsely claimed to be an Associate Professor with forged signatures has not elicited any disciplinary action against him.
When TheNiche spoke with Ibrahim Sheme, the Director of Publicity at NOUN, he said the university discovered loopholes in Bolarinwa’s claim of being an Associate Professor and asked him to provide the proof which he never did.
He has neither been reprimanded nor punished for dragging the name of the NIIA in the mud even after NOUN blacklisted him.
Bukarambe was not acting alone. He had the backing of some members of the NIIA governing board, among whom is Bunmi Obakoya.
TheNiche obtained a video of Obakoya compelling frightened NIIA staff to recognise Ubi as their authentic boss.
“We don’t have two acting DG’s here, we have just one. And Bukar is the right person to do the hand over. That is what I have been fighting for. So, everybody takes instruction from Efem (Ubi). The chairman has congratulated him. All the board members have congratulated him. I’ve collected my own letter too from the former DG,” Obakoya said.
In April this year, Osaghae, the former Vice Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, became the DG.
TheNiche findings reveal that Osaghae not only continued with the parlous situation he met at the NIIA, he has made the situation worse.
For instance, he has retained Ubi as the Acting Director of Research, a position Ubi appropriated to himself without any appointment letter to that effect.
TheNiche learned that upon Osaghae’s arrival as the new NIIA DG in April, Ubi walked up to him and introduced himself as the Acting Director of Research, a position which is above his cadre.
Even after Osaghae realised that Ubi was on grade level 13, against the NIIA and civil service rules for him to occupy the position of Acting Director of Research, the new DG continued to tolerate him in that self-assigned position.
Osaghae has also been accused of overlooking a forgery in the publication of a book: “US-Africa Policy under President Obama,” allegedly hijacked by Abdullahi Musa Ashafa, Joshua Olusegun Bolarinwa and Efem Ubi.
According to TheNiche findings, the book project was supposed to be edited by Professor Bukarambe when he was the DG with scholarly articles from Professor Alaba Ogunsanwo, Dr. Hassan Danyabu, Professor Amadu Sesay, Professor Haruna Dlakwa, Professor Sola Ojo, Professor CN Nwoke, Professor Ben Nnanem, Professor W.O Alli, Professor Fred Agwu, Professor Adeniji Abolade, Professor Charles Dokubo, Dr. (Mrs.) Frances Nlerum and Professor Ogba Oche co-authoring with Dr. Bolarinwa.
But when Bukarambe left the NIIA, Ubi allegedly hijacked the book project by appointing himself with others as editors of the scholars far above his academic level.
Although Osaghae was not in the NIIA when the alleged forgery was done, he has refused to take disciplinary action against the perpetrators of the act.
The NIIA has lowered standard on all fronts, including in the use of its premises. TheNiche has obtained pictures showing that the institution now sells snacks to passersby.
All attempts to reach Prof. Osaghae proved abortive as three phone calls and a text message did not elicit a response from him.