Allegation that I abused Governor Oyetola on Facebook, work of enemies – Osun teacher suspended

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Osun State teacher Philip Akinyemi, who was recently suspended for allegedly abusing Governor Adegboyega Oyetola in Facebook posts, talks about the case to BOLA BAMIGBOLA

Please tell us briefly about yourself.

My name is Philippe Akinyemi. I’m a teacher. I also cultivate nearby to increase my salary. I am 39 years old. I am married and have four children. My mother is alive but my father is dead.

I went to school and had NCE and Bsc certificates. In 2013, when the government wanted to recruit teachers, I was among those who expressed their interest. We took an aptitude test. I applied to teach physics. There were about 256 other applicants and the cutoff mark for physics was 150. I got 177 and got a letter of appointment on November 27, 2013 and started working.

I worked in different schools. I was first assigned to the Isoko Community High School, then to the Ilawo Community High School; then the government high school Wole Soyinka, all located in the local government area of ​​Ejigbo. I also taught chemistry before transferring to Masifa Community Grammar School where I teach physics.

A letter suspending you from work recently surfaced on social media. What led to this?

Really, I was suspended as a teacher working at Masifa Community Grammar School, Masifa in Ejigbo Local Government Area in Osun State, after my accusers said I abused the governor. The allegations really saddened me because I did not abuse the governor.

It was alleged that you abused the Governor via a Facebook post. What exactly did you post on Facebook?

My posts contain praise, praise from Dr Najeem Salam, who is my political leader and benefactor. In the Facebook post I wrote, “Don’t give betrayal a second chance.” Another said: “Osun changing of the guard …”, but I did not mention the name of the governor in any of my messages.

Do you engage in partisan politics, as it is claimed?

I joined partisan politics in 1999. I was a member of the Alliance for Democracy, the Nigeria Action Congress and now the Progressive Congress. My political leader from AD’s time until now is Dr Najeem Folasayo Salam.

You said you entered politics in 1999. Would it be correct to say that you are both a politician and a teacher?

Yes, but being an active politician has not affected my work as a teacher. My principal at Isoko Community High School is Mr. Sobanke; my director in Ilawo is Mr. Amuda, former president of the state NUT; Alhaji Kareem was my principal at Wole Soyinka Public Secondary School. They can all attest that I am diligent in my job. I have been wrongly accused and punished for reasons beyond what people can understand. I have never been against the state government and I have not said anything bad about the governor. Being fully involved in politics has in no way affected my work.

Who are the people who do you think have wrongly accused you?

Recently, some people have asked me to come join the Ilerioluwa faction of the APC in the state. We had been on the issue for some time. But I told them that I had no interest in the group and that I preferred to be with the group to which my political leader, Najeem Salam belongs.

What group does your policy belong to?

It belongs to the progressives of Osun. In 2018, he expressed interest in running for governor, but lost the ticket to Governor (Gboyega) Oyetola in the party’s primary. After the whole exercise, Salam urged us, his supporters, to return to our neighborhoods / local government and start working for APC’s victory.

But in anger, one person in particular from Masifa led some people to ADP after the primary. Some of us called to persuade him and his followers not to be angry, but he insisted on leaving the party.

The governor’s election took place and our party won. In January 2019, when the Election Petitions Tribunal hearing the case was brought to the Federal High Court of Apo, Abuja, 27 of us were selected as APC witnesses. Later the number was reduced to 13. I was still on duty during everything that happened. Three of us testified in Abuja court. One of us is currently the president of a local government. We appeared as CPA witnesses and answered questions. (Chief) Wole Olanipekun (SAN) gave us 10,000 N each that day because he was very impressed with how we managed to answer the questions that were put to us. After this incident I returned to the state and continued my job and never had a problem or quarrel with the governor or anyone.

When did the problem that led to your suspension start?

It was at this point that the show of the progressives of Osun (Rauf Aregbesola faction) and Ilerioluwa group (Oyetola group) began. Since my leader Salam is from the faction of former Governor Aregbesola which is TOP, I also identified with the group and anyone who belongs to the TOP faction is considered an enemy of the administration of Governor Oyetola. Some of my people from Masifa urged me to join the Ilerioluwa faction but I told them I was not interested. A member of my community that I said left the APC for the ADP and came back and was politically appointed at the local government level joined forces with other people, accused me of abusing governor and reported me to the education commissioner.

It was after this man was made an LGA executive that he and those who ran off with him started saying all kinds of negative things about me at the state level and also went so far as to show some of my messages on Facebook to the commissioner. for Education and commissioner to the General Guardian. In fact, I knew the day they forwarded the screenshots of my Facebook posts to the Commissioner.

Has a petition been written against you?

No petition has been written against me by anyone at my workplace. It was just a lie on the part of some people to justify their actions. I am always present and punctual at work.

The government only used this (suspension) to meet its needs, so people could blame me for letting politics affect my work. There are other officials who are involved in politics. I saw a lot of them here in Masifa.

Were you invited by the authorities before your suspension?

Yes; the day they invited me and my manager for questioning, they lied saying my manager warned me about my Facebook posts, but I refused to listen and I did not stopped posting things on Facebook. But this is not true. I was then asked a question on December 8, 2021 and asked to answer it by noon on Friday, which I did.

On Tuesday (December 14th) of the following week some people called me and asked me to come to Osogbo and I honored their invitation. Again they asked me if I was ready to join the Ilerioluwa faction, I refused anyway and told them that I wanted to take a break from the TOP and Ilerioluwa problem from now on.

Who are these people?

They are politicians. This suspension imposed on me was the result of my non-membership of the Ilerioluwa faction.

Are any efforts currently being made to resolve the issue amicably?

Yes, the legislator representing the Ejigbo state constituency in the House of Assembly, Israel Oyekunle Adekunle, has taken action. He works there; our leaders are also working on an amicable resolution.

I wish this matter resolved, but I’m afraid they’ll start to watch me too closely if I return to work. It can affect a lot of things and other people. I am passionate about teaching and I love and love to be a teacher.

What do you plan to do next?

I prayed and I believe God will do his best.

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