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  • UNILAG VC Ogundipe resumes, reacts to reports of seeking revenge

    UNILAG VC Ogundipe resumes, reacts to reports of seeking revenge

    The reinstated Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe has debunked rumours going rounds that he had compiled a list of workers to sack or punish.

    The VC resumed on Thursday and was given a rousing welcome by the university community.

    Ogundipe was controversially removed from office on August 12 following accusations of financial impropriety and gross misconduct.

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday approved the VC’s reinstatement.

    He faulted the dissolved Wale Babalakin-led governing council for not following due process in his removal.

    The VC, who addressed the workers from the foyer of the Senate Building of the school said: “I have no intention to sack or punish any member of staff as have been speculated in some quarters. I have no list of workers that I want to sack or punish.

    “You have invested years of your lives into this university. Let us be united. It is not about academic or non-academic staff; it is about UNILAG. Let us all work together and allow peace to reign. We are committed to moving the university forward.”

    Ogundipe insisted that he was committed to the cause of the university and vowed to make it a global brand.

    “We will make the university a global brand. The management runs an open administration policy. I have not recklessly looted the university. Since 1996, I have held a number of positions here and I have not been found wanting. I am committed to giving my best to this university,” he said.

    While thanking President Muhammadu Buhari and other stakeholders, Ogundipe described the acting VC Prof. Folasade Ogunsola as a reliable and thoroughbred academic.

    The Acting VC, Prof. Ogunsola noted that no individual was bigger than the institution stressing that the university was capable of solving its problems.

    “Today is a day of victory. It is a day to celebrate the university. It calls for introspection. Together we stand, divided we fall. There is no problem within the university that we cannot solve. We should not externalise our problems. Despite our problems, we recognise that the University of Lagos is bigger than any individual. Nobody can debrand us,” she said.

    Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), UNILAG chapter, Dr Dele Ashiru slammed the Chairman of the Special Visitation Panel, Prof. Tukur Sa’ad for saying he regretted endorsing the report of the panel.

    “We are sweeping tyranny, impunity and divisiveness away from our university. The victory is for the people. It is not for ASUU, NASU, NAAT, or SSANU,” he said.

    The Branch Chairman of the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Kehinde Ajibade also praised Ogunsola for being reliable and trustworthy.

    He urged the VC to prioritize the welfare of staff.

    The Acting VC later did a formal handover to Ogundipe inside the VC’s office.

  • BREAKING: Suspended Ogundipe returns as UNILAG VC

    BREAKING: Suspended Ogundipe returns as UNILAG VC

    The suspended Vice Chancellor (VC) of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe has been reinstated.

    Reliable sources confirmed that Ogundipe was reinstated on Wednesday.

    The governing council of UNILAG had removed Ogundipe as the vice-chancellor of the institution.

    He was accused of financial impropriety and gross misconduct.

    He was removed at the council meeting held at the headquarters of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Abuja.

    His removal was criticised by the university community prompting the Federal Government to direct the Pro-Chancellor/Chairman of Council, University of Lagos, Dr. Wale Babalakin and the sacked Vice Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe to step aside from their official duties pending the outcome of a Special Visitation Panel set up by President Muhammadu Buhari to resolve the crisis rocking the institution.

    The President, as visitor to the University also removed Prof. Theophilus Soyombo, the Acting Vice Chancellor appointed by Babalakin and appointed Prof Folashade Ogunsola to act as the VC pending the report of the visitation committee.

    Babalakin has since resigned his position as the chairman of council.

    Although the Ministry of Education has not officially confirmed the story, Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, is expected to brief the media on the outcome of the UNILAG visitation panel on Wednesday.

  • FG may reinstate suspended UNILAG VC today — Varsity officials

    FG may reinstate suspended UNILAG VC today — Varsity officials

    Information reaching TheNewsGuru.com, TNG has it that suspended Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, may be reinstated today (Wednesday).

    Officials at UNILAG and the Ministry of Education confirmed the development.

    The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, is expected to announce Ogundipe’s reinstatement at a press conference on Wednesday.

    It was gathered that the press conference would hold in Abuja at 12pm.

    According to one of the officials who works in the office of the VC, Ogundipe is aware of the Federal Government’s plan to reinstate him.

    “We are all expecting the official announcement. He received a call from Abuja already,” the official who prefers anonymity said.

    When contacted, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Education, Ben Goong, confirmed that the minister would be addressing the press on Ogundipe’s suspension.

    When asked if Ogundipe has been reinstated, he said, “I can’t say yes or no. The minister will be addressing the media tomorrow (Wednesday). By then, you will get the information you need.”

    Meanwhile, the suspended VC is yet to issue any statement regarding the development.

    Recall that Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of the University of Lagos, Wale Babalakin, and Ogundipe, were directed to recuse themselves from official duties, pending the outcome of the Special Visitation Panel set up by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on August 21, 2020.

    The UNILAG’s Governing Council, headed by Babalakin had removed Ogundipe at its meeting in Abuja on Aug. 12, over allegations of infractions and gross misconduct.

     

  • Unilag sets date for 2020 UTME test, begins registration Oct. 19

    Unilag sets date for 2020 UTME test, begins registration Oct. 19

    The University of Lagos is to hold its 2020 post Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) test for two weeks, beginning from Nov. 18, an official has said.

    The institution’s Registrar, Mr Oladejo Azeez, said in a statement on Thursday in Lagos that the aptitude test would end on Dec. 2.

    According to Azeez, online registration for the exercise will start from Oct. 19 and end on Oct. 30.

    The register said that the test would be for admission into all undergraduate courses/programmes of the university for the 2020/2021 academic session.

    He said that only candidates who made the university their first choice in the 2020/2021 UTME and scored 200 and above would be eligible for the screening.

    He added that eligible candidates must possess five credit passes at one sitting in relevant ‘O’ Level subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

    ‘“Candidates who will not be 16 years of age by Oct. 31, are not eligible and need not apply.

    “Candidates who fail to participate in the post UTME screening will not be considered for admission.

    “Former students of the institution whose admissions were withdrawn on the basis of poor academic performance or absence status, could re-apply on the condition that the new admission shall be for a course/ programme different from the former course/programme.

    “Any student expelled from the university cannot be offered fresh admission,” he said.

    The registrar said that eligible candidates for the test would pay N2,000 as the screening fee.

    He advised such candidates to log in to the university’s website www.unilag.edu.ng and click on admission.

    “Click on post-UTME application, then login with UTME number as username and Surname ( in lowercase) as password.

    “Generate and print payment advice and proceed to any commercial bank to make the payment or pay online.

    “Return to the university portal to complete filling the screening form and then print post-UTME examination pass,” he advised.

    The registrar said that the university had zero tolerance for drug abuse, warning that any student found wanting would lose studentship.

  • UNILAG crisis: Another Council member tenders resignation

    UNILAG crisis: Another Council member tenders resignation

    Less than 24 hours after the Pro-chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Dr. Wale Babalakin announced his resignation, another member of the Governing Council of the university, Mr. Bayo Adaralegbe has followed suit.

    Adaralegbe who works at Babalakin’s Chambers tendered his resignation to the Education Minister, Adamu Adamu on Friday, stating that his continued stay would dishonour his late father, Prof. Adeniji Adaralegbe’s memory.

    Adaralegbe is one of the Federal Government appointees on the Council who were staunch supporters of Babalakin.

    In the letter, Adaralegbe praised Babalakin’s contributions to the University while accusing the former Vice-chancellor removed by the Babalakin-led Council, Prof. Toyin Ogundipe of threatening to beat him up over alleged falsification of interview results.

    He said: “Dr Babalakin provided very strong moral leadership as Pro Chancellor and Chairman of Council. He kept scrupulously to the promise he made at our maiden Council meeting not to bid for, or be awarded contracts from the University. He actually did more. By December 2019 he had poured approximately N100 millions of his own personal resources on different endeavors in the University. At the time this situation arose, he was in the process of transferring to the University (at no cost to it) 40 hectares of land he owned in Ogudu, Lagos to address its staff housing problems.

    Those of us federal government appointees followed his strong moral leadership.”

    He continued: “Recent developments have, unfortunately, made my continued stay on the Governing Council of the University of Lagos very untenable. I experienced first-hand, the Vice Chancellor of a University falsifying interview results for the position of Director of Works. Professor Toyin Ogundipe threatened to beat me up during an interview session for the position of Director of Works because I resisted his attempt to falsify interview results. It was also in University of Lagos that I experienced a Vice Chancellor attempting to appoint a Professor in respect of a discipline that the University did not have a department, did not admit undergraduate or postgraduate students, and through a one page Memorandum to the Pro-Chancellor that touted the candidate as an “agent of change.” This is of course apart from a litany of corrupt practices.

    “I consider my continued stay on the Governing Council of University of Lagos, a serious dishonor and desecration of my late father’s memory, Professor Adeniji Adaralegbe.”

    Adaralegbe also denied claims that he got his Council role by claiming to be from another state.

    As a Council member, Adaralegbe said he sought no material benefits from the University.

    “Aside a Samsung Telephone set, an Ipad device and the sum as sitting allowance per meeting, I did not in any way benefit materially, directly or through third parties from University of Lagos, certainly a rarity by today’s Nigerian standard (unless of course one wants to add the admission of a few candidates that I requested from the University management). Our Council took its work very seriously. We served very selflessly, very diligently and worked extremely hard to manage the scarce resources of the University and improve its standing.”

  • UNILAG crisis: Acting VC unveils plan to sustain institution’s brand

    UNILAG crisis: Acting VC unveils plan to sustain institution’s brand

    The Acting Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Folashade Ogunsola has unveiled her plan to sustain the institution’s brand.

    Ogunsola, also UNILAG’S substantive Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development Services), made the appeal in an interview in Lagos.

    She appealed to stakeholders in the institution to join hands with its management to sustain the UNILAG brand.

    “My plan is to work more with people who are interested in building Unilag than those interested in pulling it down.

    “It is not about the vice-chancellor or the acting vice-chancellor; it is about the future of the children that we are nurturing in this environment.

    “It is about protecting the certificate that they hold.

    “When people forget all these, it really calls to question their loyalty to this institution and their responsibility to the next generation,” Ogunsola told NAN.

    Ogunsola was elected the Acting-Vice-Chancellor by members of the institution’s senate on Aug. 24.

    Her appointment was confirmed by Unilag’s Governing Council on Aug. 25.

    Ogunsola’s appointment followed Federal Government’s directive on Aug. 21, that the Chairman of Unilag’s Governing Council, Dr Wale Babalakin (SAN), and the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, should recuse themselves from official duties pending the findings of a special visitation panel to the university.

    The panel was set up by President Muhammadu Buhari to look into a lingering conflict between the university’s governing council and its senate which culminated in a controversial removal of Ogundipe from office by the governing council on Aug. 12.

    Ogunsola told NAN: ”Our system had been one, we work together – academic and non academic – and my plan is to build bridges among different groups.

    “I am not unaware that there are still some elements that are bent on destruction.

    “Most people on this campus recognise that these are negative elements who do not really care about the University of Lagos.

    “While the rest of us want to protect the brand, they do not mind destroying it.”

    Ogunsola, a Professor of Medical Microbiology, said that peace had returned to Unilag following the Federal Government’s decision.

    “The panel has come, the members have sat, people have been given the chance to defend themselves; we are waiting for the panel to come up with its report.

    “In general, the campus is calm.

    “I am ready to work with those who are ready to work with us so that we can move forward and stop all the washing of dirty linens,” Ogunsola said.

    The acting vice-chancellor said that the visitation panel came prepared with all it needed to facilitate its job.

    “We thought we would have to take care of their accommodation and some other things, but they called us and requested that we should only reserve accommodation for them and not to pick the bills,” she said.

    The acting vice-chancellor said that the university did not pay any bills as regards the panel’s visit.

    “They did not take our secretariat and our transportation. They did not even take our security beyond what we provided on campus.

    “They took care of everything; they came with their secretariat staff, had their own office – the upper chamber that is usually locked – had no interaction with anyone except if they needed to call anyone in for questioning.

    “Our only support was to give them two staff, one from protocol and one from legal, who usually stayed on the ground floor and whose job was to usher those needed at any point in time.

    “In all, they came prepared and were totally independent,” she said.

  • BREAKING: UNILAG governing council confirms Ogunsola acting VC

    BREAKING: UNILAG governing council confirms Ogunsola acting VC

    University of Lagos Governing Council, led by the interim chairman, Dr John Momoh, has confirmed Prof. Folasade Ogunsola as the acting Vice-Chancellor of the institution.

    The Governing Council at a virtual meeting on Tuesday approved her nomination.

    The inauguration of the visitor’s panel will hold in Abuja on Wednesday.

    There was jubilation at UNILAG on Monday when she emerged the acting VC at the emergency Senate meeting.

    READ ALSO: FG appoints Channels TV’s John Momoh UNILAG governing council chair

    The Federal Government had, last week, asked UNILAG Senate to reconvene and nominate an acting VC following the crisis between the varsity’s Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Wale Babalakin, and Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe.

    The FG also asked Babalakin and Ogundipe to recuse themselves from official duties, pending the outcome of the Special Visitation Panel set up by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

    With her emergence, Ogunsola broke UNILAG’s 58-year record by becoming the first female to be appointed as an acting VC of the institution since it was founded in 1962

  • UNILAG crisis: FG appoints John Momoh interim chairman of governing council

    UNILAG crisis: FG appoints John Momoh interim chairman of governing council

    The Federal Government has appointed the President of University of Lagos Alumni Association Worldwide, Dr John Momoh as interim chairman of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Governing Council.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that Momoh’s first task will be the ratification of the election of a new acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof Folashade Ogunsola.

    The result of the election has been forwarded to the governing council by the Deputy Registrar and Director of Academic Affairs, Mrs Olakunle Makinde.

    Due to the crisis rocking the institution, the Federal Government asked the Governing Council chairman, Dr Wale Babalakin, and the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, to step aside.

    The government directed the university Senate to meet and elect a new acting VC.

    The Senate on Monday elected Prof Folashade Ogunsola as acting VC.

  • Unilag crisis: Senate withdraws suit against Babalakin, others

    The Senate of the University of Lagos (Unilag) on Monday filed an application at the National Industrial Court to discontinue a suit challenging the removal of the university’s Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe.

    Ogundipe was removed by the university’s Governing Council on Aug. 12.

    The council replaced him with Prof. Theophilus Soyombo as Acting VC.

    The defendants in the suit marked NICN/LA/283/2020 were the governing council, its now ‘suspended’ Chairman, Dr Wale Babalakin (SAN); the Registrar, Mr Oladejo Azeez; Soyomo and Ogundipe.

    The senate, through its counsel, Prof. Taiwo Osipitan (SAN), had in the suit prayed the court to declare that Ogundipe’s removal was unprocedural, null and void.

    The senate also prayed the court to restrain Soyombo from parading himself as Unilag’s acting VC.

    However, on Monday the senate informed the court that it was withdrawing the suit.

    “Take notice that the claimants in this suit hereby wholly discontinue this suit against the defendants,” it stated.

    The notice of discontinuance was seen by The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    NAN learnt that the decision to withdraw the suit followed President Muhammadu Buhari’s intervention in the crisis.

    The president had asked both Babalakin and Ogundipe to step aside pending the outcome of a visitation panel to be inaugurated on Wednesday.

    The president also reversed Soyombo’s appointment as Unilag’s Acting VC.

    The president also directed the senate to reconvene to nominate an acting vice-chancellor from among its members.

    Consequently, the senate on Monday elected the university’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development Services) Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, the Acting VC.

  • ICYMI: UNILAG gets first female VC in almost 60 years

    ICYMI: UNILAG gets first female VC in almost 60 years

    In case you missed it, Professor Folasade Ogunsola on Monday emerged the Acting Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Ogunsola won at a Senate election on Monday in a contest against Ben Oghojafor, making her the first female to occupy the VC seat of the institution that was established in 1962.

    Ogunsola had served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the institution in nearly four years before the development along with Oghojafor.

    She won the election by 135 votes against Ogbojafor, who scored 31 votes. One vote was, however, void in the election.

    TNG reports Ogunsola will replace Theophilus Soyombo, a professor of Sociology who was also in an acting capacity for barely ten days before his removal over the weekend.

    Ogunsola, a Professor of Clinical Microbiology at the College of Medicine, UNILAG, has been involved in Infection Control for 20 years and contributed significantly to raising awareness of infection control in Nigeria.

    She was a founding member of the Nigerian Society for Infection Control (Formerly Nigerian Infection Control Association, NICA) in 1998 and has assisted in setting up infection control programs in institutions in the country.

    She was the Chair of the Infection Control Committee of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital till 2012 and the team lead for Infection Prevention and Control during the 2014 Ebola disease outbreak in Nigeria.

    She has worked as a consultant in IPC with the World Health Organisation since 2009 and is interested in the community applications of Infection Control principles in under-resourced communities.

    She recently with her team wrote a curriculum for a 6-month diploma in Infection Control.

    She is a member of the Global Infection Prevention and Control Network, board member of the Nigerian Society of Infection Control and Chair of the Infection Control African Network.