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'His Services Are Free Of Charge' — NOUN Apologises To Obasanjo Over N40,000 Salary Comment

In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja, signed by Ibrahim Sheme, NOUN's Director of Media and Publicity, the institution noted that the figure was stated as the generic amount the institution paid its facilitators.

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The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has apologised to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, over the comment that the institution paid him N40,000 annually as a facilitator in the institution.

Professor Abdalla Adamu, the Vice Chancellor had addressed a press conference on Tuesday on the university's 8th Convocation, where he made the reference.

According to NAN, Obasanjo had, however, denied the claim, stating that he had never received a dime from the institution for his services. 

In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja, signed by Ibrahim Sheme, NOUN's Director of Media and Publicity, the institution noted that the figure was stated as the generic amount the institution paid its facilitators.

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."

Felix Edoka, the school registrar, also expressed the university’s regret over the inconveniences and embarrassment the newspaper publications might have caused to him.