UNILAG governing council appoints Prof Soyombo as acting VC

Gabriel Dike

Less than 24 hours after the Governing Council of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) removed Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe as the Vice Chancellor of the institution, the council has appointed Prof Theophilus Soyombo as acting VC.

In statement signed by the Registrar and Secretary to Council, Dr. Oladejo Azeez, said council at its meeting duly appointed Prof Theophilus Omololu Soyombo of the Faculty of Social Sciences as Vice Chancellor of the University in an acting capacity.

The Wale Babalakin led governing council at a meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, August 12, removed Prof Ogundipe as VC of UNILAG. Within few hour, Ogundipe denied being sacked and insisted that he remain in charge of affairs of the institution.

Azeez also said the council’s “attention has been drawn to a document circulating under the hand and signature of the former Vice Chancellor of University of Lagos, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe. The letter purports to deny his removal by the governing council of university at its emergency meeting of Wednesday, August 12, 2020.

“For the avoidance of doubt, I am in my capacity as Registrar and Secretary to council the only custodian of the minutes of council and the authorizing officer on behalf of council to issue official statements pertaining to all council Affairs.

Members of the public are hereby advised to totally disregard the statement attributed to the said former VC. The position remains that he was lawfully removed by the governing council at a meeting fully attended by all Council members.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) UNILAG branch yesterday rejected the removal of Prof Ogundipe by the governing council as VC and vowed not to recognize anybody appointed as acting VC.