By Amos Aar
THE RECENT recruitment of nine thousand (9,000) teachers by the Benue State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has steering controversy, with members of the public questioning the credibility of the process amid reports of political influence and patronage.
The board had earlier released the names of successful applicants and began issuing employment letters. However, the exercise has since come under scrutiny following a flood of social media posts from beneficiaries attributing their appointments to the interventions of certain politicians, particularly Rt. Hon. Cephas Dyako, who chairs the House Committee on SUBEB.
In a widely circulated post, a beneficiary identified as ‘Joseph Agera Joeman’ praised Dyako for allegedly facilitating the employment of many of his constituents. “Rt. Hon. Cephas Dyako has facilitated the employment of many of his constituents into SUBEB, and notably, these individuals met the given criteria for employment,” he wrote, defending the lawmaker against critics whom he described as jealous and politically motivated.
Another social media user, Kwase U Kaase, wrote a lengthy tribute thanking Dyako for securing an appointment for his sister. “RT Hon Cephas, what you have done is not just for my sister but for all of us… May God almighty continue to watch over you,” he posted.
Similar messages of appreciation surfaced from Konshisha LGA, where over sixty (60) individuals reportedly secured appointments. Paul Igbashangev, who described himself as a journalist, confirmed that more than sixty sons and daughters of Konshisha were successful in the exercise and thanked Dyako for the “germane role” he played.
According to Igbashangev, the successful applicants from Konshisha had applied and sat for the computer-based test (CBT) before being issued employment letters.
During a reception held in their honour, a representative of Dyako, Justin Ushahemba Ikpeakor, charged them to serve diligently and promised to continue lobbying for job slots for constituents who meet application requirements. “All I want is dividends of democracy, and I will always make sure that my constituents receive the lion’s share,” he said.
Comrade Andera Praise Keghen, another social media user, declared: “This is the first time in the history of Konshisha Local Government where a serving assembly member would influence employment for more than sixty people. All thanks to Rt. Hon. Cephas Dyako.”
However, the public celebration of these political figures in connection with the teachers’ recruitment exercise previously described as merit-based has ignited skepticism and backlash. A viral post by Orturn questioned the integrity of the process: “They told us that the exercise was done based on merit. Ok, why are they displaying appointments facilitated by some people in an exercise that was done based on merit? Is there anything they are not telling us?”
Other concerned citizens are demanding the publication of the full list of the nine thousand (9,000) newly recruited teachers, calling for a breakdown of how each local government area benefitted. The absence of such transparency has deepened concerns over possible political favouritism.
This is not the first time the recruitment exercise has drawn controversy. In December 2024, the Benue State House of Assembly suspended the process, pointing out a lack of transparency under the leadership of SUBEB chairperson, Dr. Grace Adagba. She was subsequently asked to step aside while investigations were conducted.
In her defence, Dr. Adagba alleged that members of the House demanded one thousand (1,000) job slots, which she declined to allocate, preferring instead to uphold a merit-based system. “Sources who spoke on condition of anonymity claimed the lawmakers requested 1,000 slots for their people, but SUBEB refused, insisting on a fair recruitment process,” Daily Post reported on December 13, 2023.
Months later, the assembly reportedly gave Dr. Adagba the green light to resume the exercise after she provided what they described as a satisfactory explanation.
Despite the resumption and conclusion of the recruitment, public confidence remains shaken. Critics argue that the open acknowledgements of political influence by beneficiaries contradict the initial claims of a transparent and merit-driven process. As more appointees come forward to link their appointments to political figures, the call for an audit of the recruitment becomes louder, with many demanding accountability from SUBEB and the state government.
For now, the shadow of favouritism continues to loom large over a process that was expected to be a model of fairness and meritocracy in public service recruitment.
