24 years after, a Nigerian lecturer, Inih Ebong, unjustly sacked by the University of Uyo, has finally won against the university at the Court of Appeal, Calabar, Cross River State.
The appellate court, on Tuesday, dismissed an appeal filed by the University of Uyo for a stay of the execution of a 2020 judgement of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria. The NICN had ordered the university to reinstate Ebong and pay him all his entitlements and damages.
This was disclosed by the lawyer to the embattled lecturer, Nse William.
Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES Tuesday afternoon, an elated William said, “It’s all over. It’s all over. Everything is over.”
“We give glory to God,” he added.
“You know, wherever there’s a wrong, there’s always a remedy,” William said.
The lawyer expressed happiness that the lecturer was alive to witness the victory.
“It has been so long,” he said.
Responding to the victory, the victimized lecturer described the judgment as a welcomed development.
He said, “I feel very happy.”
“The road is now as clear as the apian way for me to enforce that judgment (of the industrial court). Whether the Vice-Chancellor likes it or not, he must pay that money.
Ebong, therefore, thanked Nigerians who stood by him throughout his travail.
He said, I thanked the Nigerian billionaire Femi Otedola, who sponsored my medical treatment. And the human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, for travelling from Lagos to Uyo to visit me. And for speaking out against the injustice meted out to me.
The lecturer’s wife, Uduak, expressed her happiness over the court victory.
She said, “It has been so long.”
“The whole thing started when I gave birth to my first daughter. All my three children were born into the struggle. Today, my first daughter is 21 years old and is in the university.
“Our kids have been our great supporters.”
“We have been so blessed to receive support from kind Nigerians,” she said.
PREMIUM TIMES reports Ebong was an Associate Professor at the Theatre Arts Department the University of Uyo when he was unjustly sacked by the university in 2002 over a false accusation that he abandoned his duty.
“The sacked lecturer was reputed for his resistance to and criticism of maladministration, mismanagement and corruption in the university.
A recently retired Professor of Economics, Akpan Ekpo was the Vice-Chancellor of the university when authorities moved unjustly against the lecturer. And a certain Peter Effiong was the registrar during the period, PREMIUM TIMES reported.
Premium Times