- ASUU holds emergency session
- Professor Ogundipe insists he remains VC
Admin l Thursday, August 13, 2020
LAGOS, Nigeria – The crisis rocking the citadel of higher learning, University of Lagos is not over. Instead of getting better, it appears things are getting worst and major crisis seems imminent.
Recall that just yesterday, August 12, a public notice signed by Registrar of UNILAG, Oladejo Azeez notified Nigerians that after an emergency meeting held on Wednesday, August 12, 2020, and in accordance with its statutory powers vested in its laws, the Governing Council of the University of Lagos removed the Vice Chancellor, Professor Olawatoyin Ogundipe as Vice Chancellor of the university with immediate effect.
“This decision was based on council’s investigation of serious act of wrong doing, gross misconduct, financial recklessness and abuse of office against Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe”, the statement said.
Reacting to the development, Professor Ogundipe in a statement he personally signed described the purported removal as an illegality that cannot stand, adding that it is in clear violation of the University of Lagos Amended Act.
Quoting the relevant session of the Act, he said “ If it appears to the council that there are reasons for believing that the Vice Chancellor …. should be removed from his office …. on the grounds of misconduct or inability to perform the functions of his office, the Council shall –
a. “ Give notice of those reasons to the person in question
b, Make arrangement: For a joint committee of the council and the Senate to investigate the matter where it relates to the Vice Chancellor and to report it to the council”, he said.
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He subsequently advised stakeholders of UNILAG and the general public to disregard “ this mischievous disinformation about the sitting Vice Chancellor of UNILAG. Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe has and still remains the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos”, he said.
Meanwhile, the Academic Staff Union of the University of Lagos today served notice of an emergency meeting for the Council Chamber Foyer at 11 am. The statement i signed by Dr. Olusegun Samuel, Secretary, ASUU-UNILAG gave the purported removal of the VC as an agenda.
ASUU is meeting after issuing a statement condemning the purported removal of the VC. In a statement signed by Chairman ASUU UNILAG chapter, Dele Ashiru, the union described the removal of the VC as an illegality.
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The union also quoted section 17 of the UNILAG Amended Act adding that before removal, the affected person must be given the right of reply and that the council will act after hearing from the affected individual and remove him if found guilty.
“Our union therefore condemns in the strongest terms, the illegal, reckless and destructive action of the Pro-Chancellor Dr. Wale Babalakin. Our union affairs its confidence in the leadership of Professor Tayo Ogundipe as Vice Chancellor of our great university”, the union said.
