…..Count me out of any Certificate Scandal —OSOPADEC Secretary reacts
The recently appointed Secretary of the Ondo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission, OSOPADEC, Mrs. Abike Justinah Bayoilawole and the Director of Administration and Supply, Mr. Akinsola Orisamoluwa, have been dragged before the Independent Corrupt Practices & Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), for alleged certificate scandal.
The Commission is prayed to investigate the allegations against the two top officers leveled against them through a petition written by a Grade Level 16 officer at the commission, Mr. Semudara Kayode.
The petition signed on behalf of Semudara by his lawyer, Barr. Femi Emmanuel Emodamori, alleged that Justinah Bayo-Ilawole, who was recently appointed as OSOPADEC Secretary by the State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has been allegedly using a fake/forged certificate and allegedly making false academic claims to OSOPADEC that she obtained
her Master in Public Administration (MPA) from the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife in 2001, thereby conferring a corrupt or unfair advantage on herself, whereas she actually obtained the MPA in 2003.
Also the petitioner in the petition which a copy was made available to newsmen, said in the same vein that Mr. Akinsola Orisamoluwa has been allegedly using a fake/forged certificate and allegedly making false academic claims to OSOPADEC that he obtained his MPA from the same OAU in 2000, whereas he actually obtained same in 2002.
The lawyer in the petition said, “It is important to state that our client informed us that he has been persecuted, blackmailed and threatened since he chose to reveal this alleged certificate scandal rocking OSOPADEC.
“He personally wrote a petition to Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa since 11th July, 2024 to direct an inquiry into this matter, with some of the above overwhelming documentary evidence. He wrote a reminder to the Governor through our Law Firm on 17th July, 2024.
“His petition to the Governor was necessary because His Excellency
has dissolved the OSOPADEC Board which would have ordinarily assumed the statutory administrative power to investigate such allegations. However, the Governor has failed to take any step in that regard till date.
“Rather, our client began facing greater vindictive actions from the same OSOPADEC officials he alleged of the certificate forgeries, for daring to report them to the Governor. Our client, who has vowed never to be silenced, cowed or compromised on this issue, is now calling on your respected office to urgently investigate the allegations of certificate forgeries and making false certificate claims against Mrs. Abike Justinah BayoIlawole and Mr. Akinsola Orisamoluwa.
“The allegations clearly constitute a serious offence under Section 25 and other sections of the Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Act, and the list of public officials already prosecuted or being prosecuted by your Commission for similar offences is endless.
“Your diligent and uncompromising investigation of this complaint would be appreciated, considering the serious but failed attempts to pressurize, intimidate, blackmail and/or silence our client over the monumental scandals and alleged criminalities. Please accept our highest regard,” the petition read.
REACTIONS TO ALLEGATIONS
Reacting on telephone, the Public Relations officer of OSOPADEC, Godson Ewata said he was not aware of any allegations against the the two top officers, adding that when would not like to respond to the allegations he knows nothing about.
Reacting when contacted on telephone on the petition, Mrs Abike Bayo- Ilawole, OSOPADEC Secretary, denied the certificate scandal, describing the allegation as frivolous and fraudulent.
Ilawole said, “I don’t have issues with my Certificate, don’t bother yourself, you have a message to deliver, if you have a message to deliver come and deliver it. If there is something you need, say it, if it’s convenient i will attend to you. The one you are talking about is fraud (419), it can’t work on me.
“I am not an old person, I am a young person, at my age if i start schooling, i will complete and i can have all certificates i need in life.
“I have no reason to forge certificate, i have no reason to have certificate scandal, so don’t bother yourself,” She defended.
However, all efforts to reach Mr Akinsola as at the time of filing this report was not successful as calls to his line was not picked and SMS sent to his line was yet to be responded to.
Below is the full text of the petition;
29th July, 2024
Our Ref: FEE/ICPC/I.9/24
The Chairman,
Independent Corrupt Practices & Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Plot 802, Constitution Avenue Zone 9, FCT, Abuja
Through: The Ondo State Commissioner, ICPC G.R.A, Block A, Plot C, Oda Road Akure.
Dear Sir,
A CALL TO INVESTIGATE CERTIFICATE FORGERIES AND MAKING FALSE CERTIFICATE CLAIMS BY MRS. ABIKE JUSTINAH BAYOILAWOLE (OSOPADEC SECRETARY) AND MR. AKINSOLA
ORISAMOLUWA (OSOPADEC DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION & SUPPLY).
Our services have been retained by Mr. Semudara Kayode, a Grade
Level 16 Civil Servant at the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC), hereafter referred to as “our client”, to report the above subject matter to your Commission for investigation and prosecution of the above named two suspects, if
found culpable.
According to our client, Mrs. Abike Justinah Bayo-Ilawole, who was
recently appointed as OSOPADEC Secretary by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State, has been using a fake/forged certificate and/or making false academic claims to OSOPADEC that she obtained her Master in Public Administration (MPA) from the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife in 2001, thereby conferring a corrupt or unfair advantage on herself, whereas she actually obtained the MPA in 2003.
In the same vein, according to our client, Mr. Akinsola Orisamoluwa (the Director of Administration and Supply in OSOPADEC) has been using a fake/forged certificate and/or making false academic claims
to OSOPADEC that he obtained his MPA from the same OAU in 2000,
whereas he actually obtained same in 2002.
In this regard, our client has supplied us some crucial documents which, prima facie, substantially confirm that the MPA claims of Mrs. Abike Justinah Bayo-Ilawole and Mr. Akinsola Orisamoluwa are indeed
false and fraudulent. These include:
- The 2002 Staff Nominal Roll of OSOPADEC, wherein Mrs. A.J
Bayo-Ilawole is listed as No. 13 with MPA (2001), and Mr. Akinsola Orisamoluwa is listed as No.14 with MPA (2000), attached as Annexure SK1. - The 2003 Staff Nominal Roll of OSOPADEC, wherein Bayo-Ilawole
A.J (Mrs.) is listed as No. 27 with MPA (2001), and Mr. A. Orisamoluwa is listed as No.44 with MPA (2000), attached as Annexure SK2. - Minutes of the 265th Meeting of the Senate of Obafemi Awolowo
University (OAU), Ile-Ife, held on 30th January, 2002, containing the
Approved Master of Public Administration Degrees of graduating
students for 2002, including ORISAMOLUWA, Akinsola with
Registration Number P/ADM/98/H/603 (Attached as Annexure
SK3); and - Minutes of 269th Meeting of the Senate of Obafemi Awolowo
University, Ile-Ife, held on 26th November, 2003, containing the
Approved Master of Public Administration Degrees of graduating
students for 2003, including IKUESAN, Abike Justina (now Mrs. Abike Justinah Bayo-Ilawole) with Registration Number ADP/99/H/0779 (Attached as Annexure SK4).
Annexures SK1, SK2, SK3 and SK4 are all public documents that could easily be verified from OSOPADEC and OAU respectively. As a matter of fact, our client and Mrs. Abike Justinah Bayo-Ilawole were classmates for the OAU MPA program. While the Registration Number of Mrs. Abike Justinah Bayo-Ilawole (then IKUESAN, Abike Justina) was ADP/99/H/0779,
that of our client was ADP/99/H/00721, as contained in page 68 of Annexure SK4. We have equally attached the MPA Degree certificate of our client dated 29th October, 2003 as Annexure SK5 to substantiate this claim.
It is important to state that our client informed us that he has been
persecuted, blackmailed and threatened since he chose to reveal
this alleged certificate scandal rocking OSOPADEC. He personally
wrote a petition to Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa since 11th
July, 2024 to direct an inquiry into this matter, with some of the above overwhelming documentary evidence. He wrote a reminder to the Governor through our Law Firm on 17th July, 2024.
His petition to the Governor was necessary because His Excellency
has dissolved the OSOPADEC Board which would have ordinarily
assumed the statutory administrative power to investigate such allegations. However, the Governor has failed to take any step in that regard till date.
Rather, our client began facing greater vindictive actions from the same OSOPADEC officials he alleged of the certificate forgeries, for daring to report them to the Governor. Our client, who has vowed never to be silenced, cowed or compromised on this issue, is now calling on your respected office to urgently investigate the allegations of certificate forgeries and making false certificate claims against Mrs. Abike Justinah BayoIlawole and Mr. Akinsola Orisamoluwa.
The allegations clearly constitute a serious offence under Section 25 and other sections of the Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Act, and the list of public officials already prosecuted or being prosecuted by your Commission for similar offences is endless.
Your diligent and uncompromising investigation of this complaint would be appreciated, considering the serious but failed attempts to pressurize, intimidate, blackmail and/or silence our client over the monumental scandals and alleged criminalities. Please accept our highest regard.
Yours faithfully
Femi Emmanuel Emodamori
