Call for Federal Intervention as FUT Koroma Saakpewan Faces Alleged Breach of Local Content Act
There have been growing calls for urgent federal intervention over the ongoing recruitment process at the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Koroma Saakpewan, following allegations that the exercise was conducted in violation of the Local Content Act and principles of fairness and inclusiveness.
Raising the alarm, Chief Anthony Waadah, President of the Ogoni Business Owners Association in America and Gbenemene of the Legbo Kingdom in Bane Community, accused the management of the institution of compromising the employment process by allegedly sidelining qualified Ogoni indigenes in favour of non-Ogoni applicants.
Speaking from Bane Community in Ogoniland—the hometown of late environmental rights activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa—Waadah condemned the shortlist released for the final stage of the recruitment exercise, describing it as skewed and unrepresentative of the host communities.
According to him, the development runs contrary to the objectives for which the university was established in Ogoniland.
He stressed that the siting of the Federal University of Technology in Koroma Saakpewan was meant to address the long-standing educational and developmental needs of the Ogoni people, and as such, employment opportunities should reflect the principles of local content, equity and inclusiveness as enshrined in law.
Waadah also questioned the decision by the university authorities to conduct the recruitment examination at Port Harcourt Polytechnic rather than in institutions within Ogoniland.
He described the move as suspicious, insensitive and disconnected from the realities of the host communities, further alleging that the shortlist was deliberately arranged in a non-alphabetical order, a move he claimed was intended to obscure irregularities and make it difficult to detect alleged bias in the selection process.
Calling for immediate action, the Ogoni leader appealed to the National Security Adviser, whom President Bola Tinubu reportedly mandated to interface with Ogoni stakeholders, to urgently summon the management of the university.
He urged the federal government to ensure strict compliance with the Local Content Act, as well as transparency and fairness in the recruitment exercise.
Waadah also issued a stern warning to the Pro-Chancellor of the institution, Professor Don Baridam, cautioning him against allowing himself to be drawn into what he described as politically motivated recruitment practices.
He recalled similar controversies in other state-owned universities where employment processes were allegedly dominated by a single ethnic group due to the influence of key leadership positions.
While acknowledging Professor Baridam’s long-standing reputation, Chief Waadah warned that permitting non-merit-based considerations to influence the recruitment process could undermine his credibility and damage the integrity of the university.
He emphasised that the Ogoni people are not opposed to merit, but are demanding fairness, equity and respect for the law.
According to him, qualified Ogoni indigenes deserve a fair opportunity in the employment process, especially as members of the host communities.
Waadah concluded by warning that failure to urgently address the concerns could further deepen mistrust and strain the relationship between the university and its host communities.
