REMOVAL OF PROF. OLUWATOYIN OGUNDIPE AS UNILAG VICE CHANCELLOR; MATTERS ARISING.

At the University of Lagos, this is quite an unusual times. The hen has finally come home to roost, Prof. Ogundipe has been requested by his employer, the Council, to step aside.
The contentious word, now trending over this development, is "REMOVAL".
Not many people were shocked when the matter took this ugly turn. The development was not an accident. Some build up of tension had preceded this stage. The media was awashed with contents indicating that all was not well with the leadership in Unilag. Allegations of financial impropriety against Unilag officers, including the Vice chancellor, rented the air. Queries were issued. All of these were based on the reports of some Council committees, which have been of public knowledge. Most of us saw this coming. Therefore, no keen observer would be surprised that the matter took this turn.
Back to the issue of removal, and the procedure adopted. The amended Universities miscellaneous Act of 2003 requires the Council to set uo a joint Committee of itself and the Senate before a recommendation to remove the VC can be forwarded to the President, who is the Visitor.
The provision of the Universities Act is clear and unambiguous. But as it were, the Vice chancellor is the chairman of the Senate. With all these catalogue of damning Council committees' reports, touching on the person of the sitting Vice chancellor, the propriety, and the possibility, of allowing the Vice chancellor, as chairman of Senate, to participate, fairly, in the election or the nomination of the senate members to the "joint committee" of Council is an illusion.
The Council raised a motion, in its wisdom, to ask the Vice chancellor to drop those privileges, such as Senate chairmanship, by asking him to step aside. This step, called removal or suspension is a necessary step that paves way for the provision of the University Act to be seamlessly observed. The implication is that Professor Ogundipe cannot be a judge in his own case. This decision of the Council is in order.
REPORT OF THE REPRESENTATIVES OF SENATE ON THE COUNCIL DECISION
The Senate representatives, to Council, acted in bad faith with their publicized report which they made to their constiruency, and which informed the emergency senate meeting. Their condemnation of the procedure that led to the step aside,or suspension or removal resolution, was an error. As a matter of fact, that they participated in the voting exercise, and not showing any dissension by way of abstaining from voting, validated the exercise and made them part and parcel of that decision, now tagged removal. If the voting result had come out in their favour, would they have cried foul? The more honourable thing was to have abstained from voting and report back accordingly, giving their reasons. By voting, they were part of the scheme that removed the Vice chancellor, as the result of the voting was binding on all of the participating Council members.
THE UNAUTHORIZED REPRESENTATION OF SSANU BY FORMER CHAIRMAN AND THE CURRENT VICE CHAIRMAN
The unauthorized representation of the senior staff union by duo of Comrade Oriwaye Adefolalu, an erstwhile SSANU Unilag branch Chairman, and the current Vice Chairman, SSANU, Unilag branch, Comrade Sowunmi is, to say the least, disappointing. The two had camouflaged a non-aligned posturing, before SSANU members, until their surreptitious collaboration with the ASUU leadership, where and when they posed as speaking for the Senior Non Teaching staff. While they have the freedom to associate with anybody, supporting a cause, on which SSANU has for long resolved to remain neutral, and going to the extent of signing a communique on behalf of the union, without the members' consent, is not a responsible action.

Besides, asking the representative of Congregation in Council to brief his constituency on the happenings in Council, as to how the step aside motion went, was unnecessary. It was rather hypocritical since the meeting was still on going

Going by the available accusations from the Council, certainly, the former Vice chancellor has a lot of explanations to make. Now free from official encumbrances, of the office of Vice chancellor, he can prepare his defence, and will not be interferring with the channels of investigation. The Acting vice chancellor will summon the Senate meeting to appoint/elect a senate member to join the Joint committee of the Council, as prescribed by the Universities Miscellaneous act, 2003. Only this arrangement can facilitate fairness and error free procedure.
It is the lot of all interested parties to sue for calm and allow justice, fairness and equity to play out in a matter like this.
Long live Unilag!

THE PROGRESSIVES
14/08/2020

lagholden:
REMOVAL OF PROF. OLUWATOYIN OGUNDIPE AS UNILAG VICE CHANCELLOR; MATTERS ARISING.

At the University of Lagos, this is quite an unusual times. The hen has finally come home to roost, Prof. Ogundipe has been requested by his employer, the Council, to step aside.
The contentious word, now trending over this development, is "REMOVAL".
Not many people were shocked when the matter took this ugly turn. The development was not an accident. Some build up of tension had preceded this stage. The media was awashed with contents indicating that all was not well with the leadership in Unilag. Allegations of financial impropriety against Unilag officers, including the Vice chancellor, rented the air. Queries were issued. All of these were based on the reports of some Council committees, which have been of public knowledge. Most of us saw this coming. Therefore, no keen observer would be surprised that the matter took this turn.
Back to the issue of removal, and the procedure adopted. The amended Universities miscellaneous Act of 2003 requires the Council to set uo a joint Committee of itself and the Senate before a recommendation to remove the VC can be forwarded to the President, who is the Visitor.
The provision of the Universities Act is clear and unambiguous. But as it were, the Vice chancellor is the chairman of the Senate. With all these catalogue of damning Council committees' reports, touching on the person of the sitting Vice chancellor, the propriety, and the possibility, of allowing the Vice chancellor, as chairman of Senate, to participate, fairly, in the election or the nomination of the senate members to the "joint committee" of Council is an illusion.
The Council raised a motion, in its wisdom, to ask the Vice chancellor to drop those privileges, such as Senate chairmanship, by asking him to step aside. This step, called removal or suspension is a necessary step that paves way for the provision of the University Act to be seamlessly observed. The implication is that Professor Ogundipe cannot be a judge in his own case. This decision of the Council is in order.
REPORT OF THE REPRESENTATIVES OF SENATE ON THE COUNCIL DECISION
The Senate representatives, to Council, acted in bad faith with their publicized report which they made to their constiruency, and which informed the emergency senate meeting. Their condemnation of the procedure that led to the step aside,or suspension or removal resolution, was an error. As a matter of fact, that they participated in the voting exercise, and not showing any dissension by way of abstaining from voting, validated the exercise and made them part and parcel of that decision, now tagged removal. If the voting result had come out in their favour, would they have cried foul? The more honourable thing was to have abstained from voting and report back accordingly, giving their reasons. By voting, they were part of the scheme that removed the Vice chancellor, as the result of the voting was binding on all of the participating Council members.
THE UNAUTHORIZED REPRESENTATION OF SSANU BY FORMER CHAIRMAN AND THE CURRENT VICE CHAIRMAN
The unauthorized representation of the senior staff union by duo of Comrade Oriwaye Adefolalu, an erstwhile SSANU Unilag branch Chairman, and the current Vice Chairman, SSANU, Unilag branch, Comrade Sowunmi is, to say the least, disappointing. The two had camouflaged a non-aligned posturing, before SSANU members, until their surreptitious collaboration with the ASUU leadership, where and when they posed as speaking for the Senior Non Teaching staff. While they have the freedom to associate with anybody, supporting a cause, on which SSANU has for long resolved to remain neutral, and going to the extent of signing a communique on behalf of the union, without the members' consent, is not a responsible action.

Besides, asking the representative of Congregation in Council to brief his constituency on the happenings in Council, as to how the step aside motion went, was unnecessary. It was rather hypocritical since the meeting was still on going

Going by the available accusations from the Council, certainly, the former Vice chancellor has a lot of explanations to make. Now free from official encumbrances, of the office of Vice chancellor, he can prepare his defence, and will not be interferring with the channels of investigation. The Acting vice chancellor will summon the Senate meeting to appoint/elect a senate member to join the Joint committee of the Council, as prescribed by the Universities Miscellaneous act, 2003. Only this arrangement can facilitate fairness and error free procedure.
It is the lot of all interested parties to sue for calm and allow justice, fairness and equity to play out in a matter like this.
Long live Unilag!

THE PROGRESSIVES
14/08/2020

So biased.