By Sylvia Akpan
The Obudu community is seeking the immediate removal of Dr. Richard Utubaku as Provost of the Federal College of Education (FCE), Obudu, citing allegations of corruption, mismanagement, and autocratic leadership.
According to a letter dated 25th March, 2025, and signed by several community leaders, elders and addressed to the Minister of Education, Abuja, HRH Utsu Patrick Ishogya, HRH Utsu Edward Undeabe, HRH Utsu Bishung Ughong, HH Chief Ezekiel M Adie, HH Chief Isaac Liwhuliwhe, HH Chief Emnnanuel Ligbong, HH Chief Linus Akomaye, HH Chief Patrick Agim, HH Chief Akpeke Ukpapi, HH Chief Ikwukong Agha, HH Chief Justine Ushie, HH Chief Justine Attah, Elder Prince Richard Ushie, Elder Unimma Ugbong Pius, Elder Andrew Ubli Adang and Elder Prince Francis Ashibekong, alleged that Dr. Utubaku’s tenure has brought pain, disgrace and setback for both college and the community.
According to the letter, Dr. Utubaku’s appetite for money has produced a large scale of corruption in all the departments of the college which is a threat to other departments outside the college.
The letter reads in parts “You will recall that Federal College of Education Obudu has done well in the past in terms of student population, sustenance of approved programs and other activities in the college and currently one watches with dismay and sadness the poor population in the school and other programs go extinct.
“Proposing Dr. Richard Utubaku as provost of FCE was the greatest mistake of the century because of his defective administrative skills, his greed for money and other fraudulent acts, such a figure cannot sustain the ideals of education.
“Dr. Richard Utubaku’s tenure as provost, Federal College of Education Obudu has brought a lot of pain, disgrace and setback for both the college and people of Obudu. His narrow-minded knowledge of administration gave birth to autocratic leadership and mal-administration. Utubaku’s huge appetite for money has produced large scale corruption in all departments of the college and is threatening other establishments outside the college fence.
“Dr. Utubaku, it was he who in 2023 the National Youth Council of Nigeria during their National Youth Convention held in Ikom, Cross River State through its chapter youth president from Obudu leveled grievous allegations of stealing forty-two pieces of laptops from the college ICT hall. This the chapter youth president declared was a deliberate act by the provost to steal the items as he had prior to the theft started locking out the security personnels from the ICT building. The youth in that convention planned to protest and notified some media houses including AIT and Channels Television stations for coverage of the protest.
“The chiefs and elders of Obudu Urban I Traditional Rulers Council got wind of the youths’ action and the attendant consequences that might follow decided to wade in and stopped the planned action. Dr. Utubaku was invited by the community leadership and impressed on him to return the said laptops. He accepted and promised to return the items but up till today, he has not done so.
“As years go by, Dr. Utubaku’s antecedents as a corrupt officer and one who does not listen to elders continue to manifest in all his actions. And the result is seen in the following acts which the Traditional Council say will no longer be tolerated
“A borehole beside EB block which was constructed by Dr. Okubunka in 1982 when the provost Dr. Utubaku was still a student of the college, last year 2024 claimed Thirty Million Naira (N30, 000, 000) as a project executed. He only painted it. The Government awarded a contract worth over Two Hundred Million Naira (N200, 000, 000) for the renovation of the language laboratory. The equipment supplied, both the air conditioners and laptops have all been removed by the provost Dr. Utubaku.
“The low income workers usually employed by the college to keep the compound clean have been laid off as Dr. Utubaku has devised a new method of keeping the college compound clean i.e. by burning the granaries. This action led to the burning of COASU secretariat in the college. And the community is angry because he has denied our members their means of livelihood.
“A staff Dr. Utubaku used as his proxy, got him to commit six million (N6, 000, 000) into the construction of a borehole, the staff has not been paid but Utubaku removed sixteen million (N16, 000, 000) from the college treasury in 2022/23.
“Dr. Utubaku recently bought a mansion at the cost of two hundred and eighty-five million (N285, 000,000) at Calabar bypass towards parliamentary extension in Calabar. How much is his salary?
“The incident that occurred recently involving the relocation of the Nursing Council Professional Examination centre from Obudu, we discovered that Utubaku was responsible for the relocation because he told the ICT company conducting the examination for Nursing Council that JAMB Centre in FCE was not available for use and that Obudu was not safe. The suffering of students and the college itself in financial losses became the last straw that broke the camels’ back. We will not fold our arms and watch Dr. Utubaku continue to destroy what has been put in place by the good people of Obudu and the government.
“The community thanked the Federal government for bringing an institution like the federal college of education to Obudu. We went through rain and sun when we were threatened that the college will be taken to another location for lack of space for expansion.
“We donated more land and took away the secondary school that existed in the present college site and equally went to another secondary school, the Girls Secondary School belonging to the state government, got permission and collected the buildings that were not in use for FCE to make sure the college has all the requirements for its sustenance.
“When the issue of establishing the state college of Nursing Sciences came up, we also welcomed the college. The community has come to understand that Utubaku’s huge appetite for money has and is destroying our pride in both institutions in Obudu. The very building the community helped secure for FCE when it was vibrant, Utubaku gave them out to a private company (Estate Managers) called TIC consultants. The company is leasing those buildings to students. The College of Nursing Science has leased some of them for her students. Please see attached MOU and payment receipt.
“We need an honest and purposeful person with administrative skills to come and restore our pride in FCE and in doing this we do not want to lose the other institution which is the college of Nursing Science. We will resist any attempt to have Utubaku remain in office as provost of FCE.”
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