LASU management speaks on alleged drift towards authoritarianism

Admin l Saturday, October 12, 2019

OJO, Lagos, Nigeria – The management of Lagos State University, (LASU) has reacted to an online article alleging that the way the school is run by Professor Olanrewaju Fagbohun is drifting towards authoritarianism.

In the article, Adewale Agbaje accused Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun of exhibiting authoritarian tendencies and leading a “university wholly permeated and bedeviled by ably small maladministration, corruption, naked violation of university principles and rights of workers.

The article also accused the university management of gagging members of staff from speaking up, backdating of the Vice Chancellor’s appointment as professor and mismanaging Staff Pension Funds on accreditation-related purposes.

But reacting to the article, Ademola  Adekoya, Coordinator, Centre for Information Press and Public Relations described the article as simply the tirade of an angry and indecorous party, adding, that it is neither a principled nor civilised grievance borne by concern for due process.

“The language is so uncouth; it calls to question the moral pedestal ‘Adewale Agbaje’ is standing on. This is a new low and nothing but a personal attack on the integrity of the institutions which produced Prof. Fagbohun, SAN, as Vice Chancellor and must be condemned by all”, the university said.

Besides, he argued that the writer(s) predicated the indiscretion on the backdating of the Vice Chancellor’s professorship, stressing that the backdating of Professor Olanrewaju Fagbohun’s professorship, alongside those of others in 2014, was without the infraction of the laws of the university.

“Prof. Fagbohun’s promotion, was due in 2007/2008 but was not effected until 2014. In line with the council approval, Prof. Fagbohun’s promotion letter, issued in 2014, conveyed 2007/2008 as the effective promotion year. It should also be noted that backdating of promotions is a standard practice, one enjoyed by staff from time to time.

“A prominent example is the Professorial Chair endowed the Late Professor Abubakar Momoh in 2012 but with retroactive effect from 2005, when he was first due, this is common practice but where mischief is the intent, facts become inconsequential. The allegation is therefore misplaced and unfounded”, the school said.

On allegation that the university authority is gagging members of staff, the school noted that the supposition betrays a deep ignorance for the working of a public Institution like the university.

“The claim that Prof. Fagbohun, SAN, and the management forced members of the staff to Oath of Secrecy Form is also laughable.
Signing an Oath of Secrecy Form is not a recent phenomenon in the University. As a matter of fact, Section 3.8.1 of the University Condition of Service mandates that an Oath of Secrecy Form be administered on all members of staff.

“It must also be stated that no member of staff has been forced to sign an Oath of Secrecy Form. If there is any administration tolerant of criticism, it is the current administration. When of all Unions of the University – NASU, SSANU, NAAT and even the Students’ Union, only a few individuals seizing the ASUU platform condemn the management of intolerance, then it leaves much to be desired.

“On alleged mismanagement of pension funds, the school noted that it is surprised that such a subject should be raised despite a series of well-documented rebuttal to the allegation of mismanagement of Staff Pension Fund including a well-attended Press conference by mainstream print and electronic media at which the university’s books were laid bare.

“These lies are being reiterated and made recalcitrant. We like to place on record once again that the 2018 accreditation exercise (under-reference) was funded using funds from the university’s Escrow Investment Account and not Staff Pension Fund. Indeed, the university has no access to this fund. Also, every item purchased, including vehicles, was on the approval of the Governing Council and the full knowledge of the State Government. Evidences are available to this effect” LASU said.

The school noted that Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun administration is one that promotes unprecedented harmonious relationship between the management and all members of staff and students.

“It must also be stated that the drums of crisis being beaten is the handwork of a very few but vocal set of individuals who would stop at nothing to restore the Old order of indiscipline and crisis in Lagos State University”, he said, adding that the new LASU brand is an open book and that interested journalists are invited to make their professional investigations.

“The LASU Community is solidly mobilised behind the leadership of the incumbent management led by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Olanrewaju Fagbohun, this explains the about four years unprecedented, seamless administrative and academic cycle the University has had”, the school explained adding that there is a new era of discipline and rule of law in Lagos State University and that no smear campaign would hamper this drive.

“We enjoin all well-meaning stakeholders to partner with the new LASU”, he said.