Ajiboye clears air on TRCN exit: ‘I resigned 9 months ago, wasn’t sacked’
Former Registrar and Chief Executive of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Prof. Josiah Olusegun Ajiboye, has debunked reports alleging that he was sacked by President Bola Tinubu, clarifying that he voluntarily resigned his position in August 2024 after completing his two-term tenure.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Ajiboye described the publication suggesting his removal as “mischievous and ignorant,” asserting that it failed to reflect the established procedures of the Federal Ministry of Education.
“My attention has just been drawn to a sinister publication alleging that President Tinubu sacked me as Registrar/CEO of TRCN. While such claims can be dismissed as the work of an uninformed writer, it is necessary to set the record straight,” he said.
Ajiboye said he officially stepped down from his role effective August 30, 2024, after serving for eight years. He subsequently resumed his academic duties at the University of Ibadan, where he was originally appointed, on September 1, 2024.
He noted that after his departure, the most senior director at the Council was mandated to oversee the agency’s operations until the recent appointment of Mrs. Ronke Soyombo as substantive Registrar and Chief Executive by President Tinubu.
“The letter of acknowledgement of my handing-over, issued by the Federal Ministry of Education, stands as testimony to the high-level performance and exceptional achievements recorded by TRCN during my tenure,” Ajiboye stated.
He described the report of a presidential sack as “very strange and entirely uncalled for,” warning the media outlet responsible to retract the false information or face possible legal action.
Ajiboye served two terms as TRCN Registrar, during which he is widely credited with advancing the professionalization of teaching in Nigeria and positioning the Council as a leading force in educational reform across Africa.