Gabriel Dike

The Governing Council of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) on Wednesday removed the Vice Chancellor, Prof Olawatoyin Ogundipe for alleged misconduct and other allegations against him.
Ogundipe’s sack was announced during an emergency meeting of the Governing Council of UNILAG held at the National Universities Commission (NUC) Complex in Abuja.
In a swift reaction, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) UNILAG chapter described the removal of the VC as illegal and that it did not follow due process as stipulated in the university act.
A management staff told Daily Sun that six members voted for the removal of Prof Ogundipe while four voted against. It was further gathered that one of the council member voted that the VC should be suspended.
The emergency council meeting was presided over by UNILAG Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Dr. Wale Babalakin and out of 15 members only 12 attended.
In statement made available to Daily Sun, the Registrar and Secretary to Council, Dr. Oladejo Azeez, said the VC was removed in accordance with statutory powers vested in the council by law.
He said the general public is notified that an emergency meeting of the governing council took place on Wednesday, August 12 and Prof Ogundipe was sacked as VC with immediate effect.
”The decision was based on council’s investigation of serious acts of wrongdoing, gross misconduct, financial recklessness and abuse of office against Prof Ogundipe, ” Azeez explained.
The registrar’s statement did not state who among the three deputy VCs will take over from Ogundipe as acting VC for six months. The three Deputy Vice Chancellors are Prof Oluwole Familoni, DVC (Academic and Research, Prof Emukufia Oghojafor, DVC (Management Services) and Prof Folashade Ogunsola, DVC (Development Services)
ASUU UNILAG branch chairman, Dr. Dele Ashiru told Daily Sun that the union will not allow anybody to take over because the process leading to the alleged remove of the VC is wrong and was the sole handiwork of the council chairman, Dr. Babalakin.
Dr. Ashiru described Babalakin decision to remove Ogundipe without following due process as dictatorial, adding ”the union will not allow anybody, whether staff of UNILAG or not to take over the office.”
Reacting to his removal, Prof Ogundipe  said the management has been drawn to the ‘Notice to the general public on the removal of the VC of UNILAG, dated August 12, 2020 and signed by Oladejo Azeez, Registrar and Secretary to Council, stating that the current VC, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, has been removed  from office with immediate effect.

His words: ”This is untrue and a figment of his imagination. Therefore, stakeholders of UNILAG and the general public are advised to disregard this mischievous disinformation about the sitting VC of UNILAG, contained in that notice. Prof Ogundipe still remains UNILAG’s VC.

”The purported removal is an illegality and cannot stand as it is in clear violation of the University of Lagos Act as amended by the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Act 2003.

Therefore, members of the University  of Lagos community and the general public are advised to disregard the information about the sitting Vice-Chancellor of the University contained in the notice. Prof Ogundipe remains the VC of UNILAG.”

Ogundipe was appointed the VC of UNILAG in November 2017, after he  scored the highest mark during the interview conducted, beating Prof Olukayode Amund, and Prof Ayodeji Olukoju to the post. Until his appointment, he was the deputy vice chancellor of the university.