NOUN Apologizes To Obasanjo, Explains Statement On Salary

NOUN Backtracks On Paying Salary To Obasanjo

The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has issued a clarification on its initial statement that former President Olusegun Obasanjo earns N40,000 per annum as a facilitator with the institution.

It also apologised to the former President over the comment that the institution pays him N40,000 annually as a facilitator and the embarrassment it may have caused.

Naija News recalls Professor Abdalla Adamu, the Vice Chancellor of NOUN had while addressing a press conference on Tuesday on the university’s 8th Convocation, made reference to Obasanjo’s earning at the institution.

Chief Obasanjo had, however, in his reaction, denied the claim, stating that he offers a free service and had never received a dime from the institution for his services.

Thereafter, in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja, signed by Ibrahim Sheme, NOUN’s Director of Media and Publicity, the institution explained that the figure mentioned by the VC was the generic amount the institution paid its facilitators adding that Obasanjo renders his service free of charge to the institution with no strings attached.

The statement read: “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.

“For the records, therefore, we wish to clarify that His Excellency, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, is offering his services as a facilitator to NOUN absolutely free of charge and with no strings attached.

“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.”