The National Industrial Court (NIC) in the Port Harcourt has declared that the employment of Prof Barineme Beke Fakae, former Vice Chancellor of the Rivers State University (RSU), formerly Rivers State University of Science and Technology, is valid, and he must be paid his more than seven years salaries the university withheld.
The Industrial court on June 17, 2022,ruled in favour of Prof Fakae in a case the renowned professor of veterinary science filed in 2015 against his employers before Justice P.I. Hamman.
Recall that Prof Fakae was moved from the Polytechnic Bori as Rector to rescue the then UST, a task he undertook for eight years and handed over to Prof Blessing Didia in August 2015, only for his employment not to be recognized and his salary stopped.
After waiting and pleading, Prof Fakae went to court to press for his rights before he could have been status barred, believing he served his state and the UST (now RSU) meritoriously and deserved applause, not punishment.
Delivering judgment, Justice Hamman hammered the RSU for withholding Prof Fakae’s salaries for years and ordered that the claimant’s employment with the defendant vide a ‘Letter of Offer of Appointment’ dated May 16, 2014, and which was accepted by the claimant by a letter dated May 16, 2014 be respected as valid and still subsisting.
The court further declared that Prof Fakae is entitled to all his entitlements, remunerations and/or other privileges which accrued to him as an employee of the defendant vide a letter of Offer of Appointment’ dated May 16, 2014.
The RSU was thus ordered to pay him his salaries from August 2015 to date based on the value of his monthly salary.
The court also ordered the RSU to pay the Professor his monthly salaries from November 2015 when the suit was initiated until judgment is delivered and the same sum from the date of judgment until the judgment sum is fully liquidated.
The court declared thus: “An order of perpetual injunction is hereby made restraining the defendant either acting by itself or it’s servants, agents, privies, assigns or whatever capacity as howsoever called or described from stopping the payment of the claimant’s salary including the arrears and other entitlements ascribed to him as an employee of the defendant.
“The terms of this judgment shall be complied with within 30 days from the date of delivery failing which same shall attract interest at 10 per cent per annum.”
The judge did not award any costs. He also did not agree to award Prof Fakae’s demand for N20m as general damages for injury, hardship, inconvenience, pains, and embarrassment.
The court also turned down his demand for accumulated leave of absence of 240 days as at July 2015 in line with condition of service of senior staff of the RSU.
The judge said he reached the decision after listening to the submissions of Barr Femi Bobade and Barr O.B Wokeh for Prof Fakae and Barr J.T. Okulu and H.E. Roberts for the RSU.
Prof Fakae was drafted from the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) to revamp the then ailing Rivers Polytechnic Bori under Gov Peter Odili. He was hailed for a good job.
Gov Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi drafted Prof Fakae to go to a bigger rescue job at the then UST where killing, cultism, sexual abuse, exam fraud, and classroom administration fracture had rocked the university.
Reacting to the Judgement Prof Fakae described the outcome as the handwork of God Almighty who he said gave him victory.
The academic, who is popularly described as the Priest of Two Temples (presiding over both academic and spiritual temples) said: “I am most grateful to God. The victory has brought relief over the seven years of denial of salaries and earned privileges”, he added.
