In a heartfelt open letter, Adeniji Michael Oluwafemi, an alumnus of Osun State College of Technology (OSCOTECH), is calling on the Osun State Government to take immediate action to end the prolonged suffering of contract lecturers and staff in the state’s tertiary institutions.
Adeniji, who credits these educators for shaping his life, describes them as selfless individuals “who taught me when their own bellies were empty.” His letter urges Governor Ademola Adeleke to fulfill his promises by regularising long-serving contract staff and addressing the broken system that keeps them underpaid and insecure.
“They are not strangers,” he wrote. “They are the lecturers who stood before blackboards, the technicians who repaired broken lab equipment with hope, the clerks who processed our results by candlelight.”
According to him, more than 70 percent of staff at institutions like Osun State Polytechnic, Iree; OSCOTECH, Esa‑Oke; the College of Education, Ila‑Orangun; and the Osun State School of Health Technology, Ilesa have been on contract for over 10 to 20 years, denied proper employment status and the basic dignity that comes with it.
Adeniji highlighted the devastating financial realities these professionals face. PhD holders reportedly earn as low as ₦45,000 monthly, MSc holders ₦40,000, and BSc/HND holders ₦36,000—far below the proposed national minimum wage of ₦70,000.
“Can you imagine watching your children go hungry because your salary can’t even cover transport?” he asked.
Many risk their lives commuting long distances to work, he added, without job security or insurance—some even losing their lives in entirely preventable circumstances.
Adeniji traced the crisis back to years of inaction by previous governments, noting that the last major recruitment in the sector happened under Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola. He criticized the APC-led administrations of Rauf Aregbesola and Adegboyega Oyetola for ignoring repeated calls from governing councils to address the crisis.
He now holds Governor Adeleke to his campaign promise of change.
“Will Senator Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke be another chapter in their sorrow, or the beginning of their redemption?” he asked.
To resolve the situation, Adeniji proposed the following:
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Immediate regularisation of all contract staff with over five years of service
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Abolition of the exploitative Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) contract model
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Upgrading salaries to a minimum of ₦70,000, in line with national standards
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Establishment of a reform committee with representation from staff, alumni, and civil society
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A formal public apology and a signed, dated, and enforceable roadmap by the state government
He also called on Diran Odeyemi, Chairman of the OSCOTECH Governing Council, to lead with integrity and take urgent steps to prevent lasting damage to both the institutions and their staff.
Adeniji concluded by urging the media, civil society, and the public to lend their voices and stand up for those who have been left behind.
“They taught me when I was hungry. Now I will speak until they are fed.”
“This is not just a plea—it is a movement in the making. And the time to act is now.”
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