Gabriel Dike, Lagos
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, has assured Nigerians that the recent sex scandal involving two lecturers of the institution will not be swept under the rug.
In his words: “There will not be any cover up. Globally, they are watching us to see what we will do with the case.”
Prof Ogundipe disclosed this at the 2019 edition of UNILAG annual media parley held at the Senate Chambers.
Recall that Dr Boniface Igbeneghu of the Department of European Languages and Integrated Studies and Associate Prof Samuel Oladipo of the Department of Economics were caught on video recording by a BBC undercover reporter allegedly demanding for sex for admission and marks.
Related: “S*x for Grades”: BBC documentary exposes UNILAG lecturer, more
UNILAG management has since set up a panel headed by Prof Ayodele Atsenuwa of the Faculty of Law to probe the alleged sex-for-marks and admission scandal against Dr Igbeneghu and Dr Oladipo.
According to the Vice Chancellor, when the sex scandal broke out, the university management took prompt action and issued queries to the two lecturers caught in the BBC video, after which they were placed on suspension.
The VC said the case will follow due process, adding that “if we don’t follow due process, the two lecturers will sue UNILAG and that is what we are trying to avoid.”
The next stage of the case, he explained, will be the administrative report being passed on to the Governing Council to act on the recommendations of the panel.
Prof Ogundipe said that the ‘Cold Room’ captured in the BBC investigations has made the word popular globally.
He warned that henceforth no student will be allowed into the Staff Club and that leaders of the club have been advised to introduce identity cards for members.
On the recent revelation of the existence of fake professors in the Nigeria university system by the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof Ogundipe said UNILAG does not have any in its system.
“In UNILAG, we don’t have fake professors. In UNILAG, there is nobody with even a fake PhD,” he said. “We even check WAEC certificates of staff on a regular basis with concerned exam bodies. We know each other on campus and such things doesn’t exist here.”
The VC blamed former students for their inability to process their transcripts, stating that within one year, 32,000 applied for transcripts.
He said that out of the 32,000 that applied, only 22,000 paid processing fees, meaning the 12,000 complaining have not completed the process.