FIIRO: Fed govt reinstates suspended Director General

,,,Rights Group accuses governing Board of conspiracy

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The Federal Government through the Minister of Science and Technology has ordered for the immediate reinstatement of the suspended acting Director-General, of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO), Dr. Chima Igwe.

Dr. Onu

The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu had ordered the governing board of the institute, following Dr. Igwe’s presentation of his original PhD certificate dully signed by the university’s Director, Prof. Joel Tossa and Vice Registrar, Prof. Djimon Marcel Zannuo, which got verified by the Federal Ministry of Education,

The Governing Board of the Institute led by Alhaji Ibrahim Gwarzo, had on February 11, 2020 suspended Igwe for failure to have completed his PhD degree in 2001 from the Universite d’Abomey-Calavi, Republic of Benin as presented, an allegation which the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) had earlier absolved him of.

The Board had on the heels of the protests and reports that rocked the institute when some staff picketed Igwe’s office, insisting on his removal, they therefore instructed the Director of Production, Analytical and Laboratory Management, Dr. Agnes Asagbra, to take over, and Igwe was therein demoted to the position of principal research officer.

However, the Minister in a letter addressed to the chairman of the Governing Board, stated that since Igwe’s doctorate degree had been proved authentic, the board should lift his suspension and consequently re-instate him to his position he was before his suspension in February 2020.

The minister maintained that the decision of the board was null and void and Igwe should be recalled. Report to nation update online stated that the board chairman has declined the request, insisting that they followed  laid down rules in his removal.

Presently, the board has sent a save-Our-Soul(SOS) to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation(SGF), with attached 20 documents.

Our reporter reliably gathered that at the retirement of former DG of FIIRO, the mantle of leadership fell on Igwe, who was the most senior director, sooner he took over, a powerful group instigated by some directors with vested interest started writing petitions that he was parading a false PhD certificate.

Dr. Igwe

Igwe, a first-class degree holder from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, also obtained a master’s degree from the University of Lagos before proceeding to Republic of Benin for his Ph.D. in 2001.

On the completion of his doctorate degree, he was issued a letter entitled “attestation” dated March 12, 2019 and signed by Prof Valentin D. Wotto.

The letter from the university, written in French, and translated in English reads in part, “The undersigned, certifies that, Mr. Igwe Chima Cartney of Nigerian nationality and holder of a Master of Science Degree from the University of Lagos, was enrolled in thesis at the Chemistry Department of the Faculty of Science and Technology under the serial number 3007500.  Igwe undertook the following courses.  1st year of thesis: 1998-1999; 2nd year of thesis: 1999-2000; 3rd year of thesis: 2000-2001. This certificate is issued to him to serve and assert what is right. Made in Abomey-Calvi, March 12, 2019 -The Deputy Director/EDSEA.”

In the same vain, another letter also entitled “attestation” dated July 3, 2002 and signed by Prof. Mansuor  Muodachirou confirmed that Igwe had completed the doctorate degree programme.

The letter so written, translated to English thus:  “I, Prof. Mansur Moudachirou, President of the Sectoral Scientific Committee for Science and Technology of the University of Abomey-Calvi and Director of the laboratories of pharmacognosy and Essential oils, attests that Mr. Chima C. Igwe completed his doctoral studies  in our university.  In witness where of the presented certificate issued to him -Prof. Mansur Moudachirou.”

On February 14, 2020 the doctorate degree certificate written in French was issued to Igwe in confirmation of his successful completion of the academic programme. translated thus in English – “The doctorate degree certificate is issued to Igwe Chima Cartney. Born on 26 September 1961 at Akanu-Item (Nigeria). He was registered in the university with serial number 3007500 and was found successful in his research in Chemistry Applications.  Title of his thesis: Chemical composition and antimicrobial properties of essential oils of some aromatic plants in South West Nigeria.  Doctorate Degree certificate issued on February 14, 2000.”

The imagined contempt on Igwe’s certificate seems to have steamed from the use of the word “attestation” which was translated from French to English, while “attestation” in French means “certificate” based on this, the corruption agency launched a second phase of investigation on his certificate and indicted him.

whereas “attestation” means “certificate” in French, it means “evidence of proof” in English. “Attestation de Diplome de Doctorat’ means ‘Doctorate Degree Certificate’ or ‘Doctorate Diploma Certificate’ in English. Google search no doubt confirmed the above position.

In the light of the ensuing development, a Group – Coalition of Civil Society Groups in Nigeria have given their support to the decision of the federal government, to reinstate Dr Chima Igwe.

Speaking on behalf of the group in Lagos, Comrade Emmanuel Ayodeji, said the action is a clear demonstration of the fact, that government is not willing to allow itself or the institutions of government, to be used by certain politically exposed persons, to advance ethnic politics and shield corruption in the system which Igwe has started unmasking.

It said the action was a charade and gross abuse of power by some desperate politicians led by the governing board chairman of the Institute to hijack the administration of the Institute, for selfish political gains.

It further called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately dissolve the governing board of the Institute for working against the interest of the administration: “We wish to remind Nigerians, that the war on Dr Chima Igwe is fueled by some ethnic champions and corrupt individuals, who are opposed to his prudent administration of FIIRO, when he had come to unravel the massive corruption taking place in the Institute, which has made the cartel to be at war with him.

“They have employed several means, to achieve that including the recent engagements of the governing board of the Institute, to illegally force Dr Igwe out of Office.” the group stated.

Prior to the demotion of Igwe in February, there was spike in media reports from the Human and Environmental Development Agenda(HEDA Centre) to the governing board chairman and the government calling for Igwe’s sack.

According to report of the Chairman of HEDA, Mr Olanrewaju Suraju, it cited that the only evidence of the doctorate of Igwe was an attestation letter which made the issue very contentious.

He said, “The allegations levelled against the Acting Director-General, Mr Igwe, is such that is within the definition of serious misconduct as defined in the Federal Government Civil Service Rules in Rule 030401.”

In bid to bring to conclusion the case of Igwe, HEDA after his demotion wrote a letter to the Attorney-General of the Federation reminding him of the powers of his office to prosecute Igwe as stipulated in Section 174 (1(a) of the 1999 constitution.

The group said, “We hereby demand the immediate prosecution of the former Acting Director-General of Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi, Mr. Chima Igwe within 30 days from the receipt of this petition.” HEDA wrote in March, 2020.