February 4, 2015 – Nine PhD students of the Lagos State University, whose certificates were withdrawn by LASU authority say they have been re-issued the certificates.
At a press conference in Lagos, the interim chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities, LASU chapter, Mr. Ayodele Asokere said the certificates have been re-issued and that the disputed errors have been eliminated.
Mr. Yusuf Balogun who was also affected by the incident said the Senate of LASU at its 220th statutory meeting held on Thursday October 30, 2014 had directed the withdrawal of the affected certificates.
“We were all directed to return the certificates on or before Tuesday, November 18, 2014. Nine out of ten of us complied with the Senate’s directive and handed over our certificates to the issuing body and exactly 72 hours later, the senate met and re-awarded the degree reflecting what we applied for and studied, thereby correcting the anomalies reported.
“The award took into consideration the following key stages like the area of specialisation as stated in the application; course work as reflected by area of specialisation; seminars presented in the area of specialisation and lastly specialisation as stated in the thesis.
“It was after this that nine of us who obeyed the Senate’s resolutions that were re-issued with the corrected certificate,” he said.
Meanwhile, factional chairman of ASUU-LASU Mr. Idris Adekunle said they contacted a Lagos based lawyer, Femi Falana to pursue the matter in court with a view of getting redress.
However, the interim executive of ASUU-LASU used the briefing to reiterate that there is no crisis in the university, saying those fanning the amber of crisis in the university are outsiders who are working in collaboration with a few disgruntled elements in the university.
According to Asokere, the university environment is peaceful, even as he said both academic and non-academic staff of the university are fully and dutifully engaged.
“Please do not be misled by mischief makers and propagandists who are determined to create panic where there should be none and indeed, there is none.
“I stand here representing the position of all the academics in Lagos State University to state that there is no crisis in the Lagos State university. I am an insider and I want to reiterate it that no one knows Osho’s mother more than Osho himself.
“We desire sustenance of the peaceful and calm atmosphere which prevails in LASU especially as this as brought about so many development that are ongoing especially in the area of infrastructural development in Lagos State university.”
