National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has apologised to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, over a news report that he was on the payroll of the university as a facilitator.
The university made the apology on Thursday in Abuja, through a statement signed by its spokesman, Ibrahim Sheme.
News reports had quoted the vice-chancellor, Prof. Abdalla Adamu, revealing the annual earnings of Obasanjo as a NOUN facilitator during a news conference on Tuesday, ahead of the university’s 8th convocation ceremony slated for Saturday.
Upset by the reports, Obasanjo, through a statement on Wednesday by his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, demanded immediate retraction and apology.
NOUN spokesman, however, said the amount was the generic sum which the university offers facilitators.
“While it is true that the VC had told the gathering of journalists and NOUN staff present at the conference that the university had offered the former President, His Excellency, Chief Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo a facilitation appointment.
“The honorarium mentioned in the newspaper publications is the generic amount the university issued in the appointment letters of all facilitators,” NOUN said.
It also added that Obasanjo in his acceptance letter to the university said he would render his services free of charge.
“The former President told the university that his decision was premised on the fact that he is giving back to the society out of the great bounties God and the university have given him.
“For this laudable and patriotic gesture of his, we remain immensely indebted to the former President and elder statesman,” the university said.
