...Call for suspension of lead reviewer, fresh assessment of submitted books
By Ovasa Ogaga,
Fresh controversy has erupted over the ongoing book review exercise conducted by the Edo State Ministry of Education, as a group of authors and publishers has accused a lead reviewer of operating under a conflict of interest and called for the immediate intervention of the state government.
The concerned stakeholders alleged that Mrs Christy Omorogbe, a participant in the review process and an author whose books are reportedly among those submitted for approval, is simultaneously serving as a lead reviewer in the same exercise.
The authors argued that the dual role raises serious questions about transparency, fairness and credibility, insisting that the integrity of the review process has been compromised.
In a statement jointly signed by Chief Assin Godstime, author of Generation of Mad People, and Imade Osakpolor, author of Civil Servants Taught Corruption to Politicians, on behalf of the stakeholders, urged the Edo State Government to take immediate action to restore public confidence in the exercise.
"It has come to the attention of authors and publishers in Edo State that Mrs Christy Omorogbe, a participant in the Ministry of Education's ongoing book review exercise, is also serving as a lead reviewer of books submitted for approval," the statement said.
According to the authors, the arrangement constitutes "a clear conflict of interest" because Mrs Omorogbe is both an author with books under consideration and a reviewer with influence over the selection process.
"As both an author with books under review and a reviewer with influence over the selection process, her dual role undermines the credibility of the entire exercise," the statement added.
The stakeholders further alleged that the reviewer had shown favouritism towards certain authors and publications, although no evidence was publicly provided to substantiate the claims.
They claimed that some authors had reported being informed by Mrs Omorogbe that she was directly involved in reviewing their submitted works.
"She now faces allegations of bias, including claims that she favoured her own books and those of authors loyal to her," the authors stated.
The controversy has prompted a series of demands directed at both the Ministry of Education and the Edo State Government.
Among their requests are the immediate suspension of Mrs Omorogbe from the review process, a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances of her appointment, and the cancellation of any results already produced in the current exercise.
The stakeholders also called for the establishment of an independent external review panel to reassess all submitted books, including those authored by Mrs Omorogbe, with selections based strictly on merit and professional standards.
Specifically, they demanded:
- Immediate suspension of Mrs Omorogbe as lead reviewer.
- A full investigation into all officials involved in her appointment.
- Nullification of the current review outcome.
- Constitution of an independent panel to conduct a fresh assessment of all submissions.
The authors maintained that swift action by government authorities would help preserve confidence in the state's educational procurement and evaluation processes.
"Stakeholders insist that the Edo State Government and the Ministry of Education must act swiftly to restore transparency and public confidence in the book review process," the statement concluded.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Edo State Ministry of Education nor Mrs Christy Omorogbe had publicly responded to the allegations.
The development is expected to intensify calls for transparency and accountability in educational policy implementation and textbook selection processes within the state.
