Some 1,220 teachers disengaged from service in Kwara State are still waiting for reinstatement. They were employed in January 2019. That was toward the end of the previous administration. The current administration later disengaged them. The teachers have appealed to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. They spoke at a news conference in Ilorin on Saturday.
The Kwara State Government disengaged 2,214 teachers in 2019. It said the previous administration had employed them irregularly. Some were later reinstated. About 1,220 remain out. The disengagement followed the 2019 governorship election. The governor had earlier said his predecessor would not punish the teachers for being employed late. He called them “my children.” The promise did not hold. In 2020, the government directed them to reapply. Most were not reinstated. The pattern mirrors other states. Political transitions often displace workers hired by outgoing governments. The courts have ruled on some cases. Many drag on.
The teachers organised under the “Sunset Teachers” banner. They are appealing to the governor. The Deputy Coordinator, Wasiu Yunusa, spoke on their behalf. He said they had written several appeal letters. He said many of the affected teachers have aged parents and dependants. They cannot meet family obligations. He reminded the governor of his earlier assurance. “We firmly believe that under your compassionate leadership, our long-awaited hope can become a reality,” he said. “History will undoubtedly remember this act of mercy and justice, as one that restored lives, strengthened families and advanced the cause of education.”
The government has not responded. It has not said whether it will reconsider. The teachers have no union recognition. They have no legal representation at the conference. They are relying on appeals. No timeline has been set.
Winners: The government, which saved money by disengaging the teachers. The teachers who were reinstated, who gained their jobs back. Losers: The 1,220 teachers still waiting. Their families. Their dependents. Students in schools that lost teachers. The governor, who broke his promise. Kwara’s education system, which lost experienced staff.
Bottom Line: The teachers were promised they would not be punished. They were punished. Five years later, they are still waiting. The government must decide. Reinstatement is justice. Silence is not a policy.