UNILAG Governing Council Names Acting VC As Ogundipe Insists His Removal is Illegal

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Thursday, August 13th, 2020

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The University of Lagos (UNILAG) Governing Council has named Prof. Theophilus Omololu Soyombo as the acting Vice Chancellor of the institution.

This followed the removal of Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe by the Governing Council earlier on Wednesday.

The announcement came shortly after the removing of the immediate past Don – Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe in Abuja Wednesday.

A statement signed by the Registrar and Secretary to Council, Oladejo Azeez, announced that Prof Soyombo of the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University has been elected as the acting VC. The Registrar also countered the former VC who said he remained the head in the citadel.

“My attention has been drawn to a document circulating under the hand and signature of the former Vice Chancellor of University of Lagos, Professor Oluwatoyin T. 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 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.”

In the meantime, the sacked VC Prof. Ogundipe, has described his purported removal from office as untrue and illegal.

Ogundipe disclosed this in a counter statement issued in Lagos late Wednesday said: “The attention of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Management has been drawn to a notice to the general public on the removal of the Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos, dated August 12 and signed by Oladejo Azeez, Esq, Registrar and Secretary to council.

“It states that the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, has been removed from office with immediate effect.

“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 as contained in the notice.

“Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe remains the Vice-Chancellor of University of Lagos’’ the statement read.