Gabriel Dike

 

The acting Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof Omololu Soyombo yesterday stepped down as the helmsman of the 58-year-old institution.

Prof Soyombo was appointed acting VC by the Dr Wale Babalakin-led Governing Council on Wednesday, August 12. The council had earlier removed Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe as VC on the same day.

On August 13, the four staff unions: the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), National Association Academics of Technologists (NAAT) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) rejected the decision of the Governing Council on the grounds that it did not follow due process and staged a protest.

In statement personally signed by Prof Soyombo on Saturday, August 22, he said the news of the setting up of a Special Visitation Panel to UNILAG by the Federal Government was received in the evening of Friday, August 21, with the government directing the university Senate to nominate an acting VC for the institution for confirmation by the Governing Council. 

His words: “With this, I am stepping down, with immediate effect, as acting vice chancellor of the university.

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“I wish to express my sincere appreciation to all members of staff and our dear students, the staff unions, alumni and the general public for their wonderful support and cooperation in the past 10 days since my appointment as acting VC of the university on 12th August, 2020.  

“As I noted in my address to a cross-section of staff on 19th August, 2020, I accepted the offer to serve as a call to service, with the objective of restoring peace and stability in the university.

“It is my prayer that the peace and stability that we so much need and desire at this time be restored very quickly, so that the University of Lagos can continue to march on as the university of first choice and the nation’s pride. I urge all our staff and students to continue to go about their lawful activities in a peaceful manner.”

In a swift reaction, ASUU UNILAG branch chairman, Dr Dele Ashiru said that Prof Soyombo was a product of illegality by the Governing Council chairman, Dr Babalakin and that his appointment was not known to the law establishing the university.

According to him, Soyombo’s claim to have stepped down was a face-saving tactics that is known only to those who appointed him illegally.

Ashiru asked if Soyombo was ever in existence, adding that “stepping down from which office? He was a product of illegality. He should come to terms with the fact in the law, the so-called appointment never existed.”