The Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, was sacked because of some crisis between him and the Governing Council of the institution following the termination of his appointment.
The sacking of the vice chancellor was made known at a meeting of the Governing Council of UNILAG held at the National Universities Commission in Abuja.
Seven members of the council were reported to have voted for the removal of Ogundipe, four voted against it and one of them voted that he should be placed on suspension
The meeting was chaired by the UNILAG Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of its Governing Council, Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN).
A terse statement by the Registrar and Secretary to the Council, Oladejo Azeez, titled, ‘Notice to the general public on the removal of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos’, read, “Ogundipe was sacked based on investigation of serious acts of wrongdoing, gross misconduct, financial recklessness and abuse of office.
“The general public is hereby notified that at an emergency meeting held on Wednesday, August 12, 2020, and in accordance with the statutory powers vested in it by law, the Governing Council of University of Lago removed Prof. Oluwatoyin T. Ogundipe, FAS, from office as Vice Chancellor of the university 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. Oluwatoyin T. Ogundipe, FAS.”
UNILAG appoints Soyombo as new acting VC
Meanwhile, the Governing Council of the UNILAG has announced the appointment of Prof. Theophilus Soyombo as the acting Vice Chancellor of the institution.
The announcement of Soyombo as the VC was contained in a statement issued at 12:05 am on Thursday by the Registrar and Secretary to the Council, Oladejo Azeez.
He advised the public to totally disregard the statement attributed to Ogundipe denying his removal.
The statement reads, “Members of the public are hereby advised to totally disregard the statement attributed to the said former vice chancellor. The position remains that he was lawfully removed by the Governing Council at a meeting fully attended by all Council members.
“I also wish to use the opportunity to inform members of the public that Council at the said meeting duly appointed Professor Theophilus Omololu Soyombo of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Lagos as Vice Chancellor of the university in an acting capacity.
However, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, UNILAG Branch, has condemned the sacking of the institution’s vice chancellor.
The Chairman of ASUU in the institution, Dr Dele Ashiru, said the Chairman of the Governing Council, Dr Wale Babalakin, was behind the plot.
The Chairman of ASUU stood firm that Ogundipe remained the VC, saying that his sacking was against the law and would not stand.
“His sacking is unlawful and uncalled for. We condemn his removal. It is the plan of the pro-chancellor to wreck this university and our union has been against a reckless and lawless pro-chancellor.
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