I was sacked, recalled twice by Ogun govt – Prof Tella

Retiring professor of Economics and ex-Vice Chancellor of Crescent University, Abeokuta, Sheriffdeen Tella, on Thursday, revealed how the Ogun State government sacked him twice and reabsorbed him as an academic staff of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye.

Prof Tella disclosed this during his 70th birthday and retirement from the university, a ceremony held at the OGD Lecture Theatre of the institution.

The programme also featured the launch of a book, ‘Making Africa Emerging Global Economic Power.’ written to honour the retiring professor.

In attendance at the event were the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof Ayodeji Agboola, the former deputy governor of Ogun State, Sen Adegbenga Kaka, Emeritus Professor of Islamic Studies and Chairman, Governing Council, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Kamaldeen Balogun, and the newly-elected President of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Prof Pius Olanrewaju, among others.

Prof Tella said, “I was sacked twice and reabsorbed twice by the Ogun State government. The first sack was around 1997 due to union activities, it was a mass sack but the military governor, Sam Ewang, later reabsorbed us but we were not paid our salaries until former governor, Chief Segun Osoba, came in 1999 and regularise our reabsorption and we were paid what was due to us.”

Tella also recounted how he had to resign his appointment as the vice-chancellor of Crescent University after writing to the Ogun State House of Assembly not to approve the N50bn loan the then governor, Gbenga Daniel, was seeking to borrow.

He said, “After writing this letter and it seems like the owner of the university, the late Prince Bola Ajibola, did not like what I did because the governor was furious about it too, I decided to resign and come back to the OOU to continue my lecturing job, but about three weeks after, the university wrote to me to say my services were no longer needed.

“However, I was reinstated by former Governor Ibikunle Amosun. When he came in, he set up a visitation panel and my case was part of those that were reviewed. They found out that my sack was politically motivated and that was how I was reinstated.”

Tella said he had no regrets about the two incidents, as they were a necessary price to pay for a better society.

He said that he would remain dedicated to serving humanity in retirement and doing a bit of academic and consultancy services to further expand the frontiers of knowledge and socioeconomic development of the country.

Speaking at the event, Prof Agboola described Prof Tella as a global icon of academic excellence whose invaluable contributions to human capital development and enhancement of economic prosperity across Africa remained a source of pride to even generations yet unborn.

The vice-chancellor said for over four decades, Professor Tella had been an integral part of the academic community, leaving an indelible mark on the field of economics and the countless lives he had touched along the way.

He said Tella’s dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment to excellence had not only shaped the minds of generations of students but also contributed significantly to the advancement of knowledge in his field of Economics.

“Throughout his distinguished career, Prof Tella has not only excelled in the classroom but has also been a beacon of inspiration through his scholarly research and publications.

“He is a renowned columnist in The According and his groundbreaking work has not only expanded our understanding of economic theory but has also provided valuable insights into some of the most pressing issues facing our society today,” the vice-chancellor said.

He further described Prof Tella as a mentor, friend, and role model to many, saying his kindness, generosity, and willingness to go above and beyond for his students and colleagues alike were enduring legacies that would continue to inspire the coming generations.

Former deputy governor, Kaka, described the Fulbright scholar and World Bank consultant as one of the few foundation lecturers who devoted all at their disposal to build and nurture OOU from scratch to its present enviable status, both domestically and globally.

He said, “On the scholarship turf, he silently made an indelible impact as a world-class economist. As a change agent, he made himself available to the Academic Staff Union of Universities as an instrument of purposeful direction, moulding union.”

Aside from being a brilliant scholar, Kaka lauded Prof Tella for being an irrepressible unionist and activist who prioritised integrity and service to humanity above other considerations.

Speaking earlier, the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof Dele Odunlami, described the erudite scholar as “a courageous man of letters and activist, a highly celebrated columnist and trailblazer in his chosen field of Economics, who has affected his generation for good and worthy of emulation.”

Prof Odunlami said, “If it were possible, it is the specimen of personalities like Prof Tella that the developed world would like to clone. We wish you bliss in your retirement and may your ink of inspiration never go dry.”