•NIC adjourns till July 12
The absence of the Rector of Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, Dr. Jacob Olusola Agboola, yesterday stalled the hearing of a suit challenging “unlawful termination of appointment of the Head of Mass Communication Department (HOD), Mr. Ayobami Lawal.”
The claimant (Lawal) had approached the National Industrial Court (NIC) in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, seeking a declaration that the purported termination of his appointment in January 2016 was unjust and unlawful, having not followed due process.
Other reliefs sought by the claimant included his immediate reinstatement as chief lecturer and dean of faculty till retirement age of 65 and payment of salaries, entitlements, leave bonuses, etc from January 2016 till retirement once reinstated.
Lawal is also seeking payment of N25 million damages for the injury to his character, reputation and welfare.
According to a letter tendered in court, the claimant’s appointment was terminated for lack of academic growth for 10 years, in fragrant disregard to the terms of employment by the institution, in January 2016.
At the resumed hearing of the case yesterday, counsel to the claimant, Mr. Adenle Adeloye, told the court that the first defendant (Rector, Osun State Polytechnic), through his lawyer served a written defence on him, but that he was surprised he could not appear in court.
“We all came to the court this morning for this case, but I am surprised the 1st defendant failed to appear without any reason for doing so. I received the 1st defendant’s written reply to the issues we raised for determination in court just last week through their counsel, with the hope that we shall meet in court today. But here we are, they didn’t show up in court,” the claimant’s lawyer, Adeloye, said.
Counsel to the 2nd and 3rd defendants (Osun State Governor and Attorney- General and Commissioner for Justice), Mr. I. A. Mikaheel, from the Ministry of Justice, who was present in court, averred that the 2nd and 3rd defendants had no defence because there was no intention to do so in the case.
Justice Opeloye Ogunbowale of Court 2, NIC, after being told of the failure of the 1st defendant to appear in court, and the reaction of the counsel present, asked that the parties should pick a date since the court could not proceed on the matter due to the absence of the 1st defendant.
The judge adjourned the case till July 12 for hearing.