UNILAG drops OBJ from honours list

CHARLES ABAH


Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is in for another shocker as the University of Lagos (UNILAG) authorities yesterday turned down his nomination for an honorary doctorate degree.

Also, the institution’s immediate past pro-chancellor, Chief Afe Babalola and a Sierra-Leonean and judge at the International Court of Justice at the Hague George Koroma had their nominations rejected.

The senate of the 47-year old Ivory tower, Daily Champion gathered yesterday to appraise nominees for the university’s convocation billed for December as well as do examine other sundry issues.

Our correspondent gathered that the candidature of the former president was roundly rejected by the senate ostensibly for the disdain he had for nation’s academic community during his administration. Interestingly, president Obasanjo just ended his tenure as the institution’s visitor last may.

Earlier, the university’s Honours Committee which met last October 25, it was also gathered had recommended the former president alongside five other persons for honorary digress.

They included form Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku his United Nations counterpart, Kofi Anan, a Sierra-Leonean and judge at the International Court of Justice, Hague, George Koroma, former UNILAG Pro-chancellor and chairman of council, Umaru Shehu and Chief Babalola (SAN.

At yesterday’s senate meeting, Daily Champion learnt that the vice chancellor, Prof Tolu Odugbemi had sought bloc approval for all the nominees but this was turned down by the members.

According to a source, the senate members insisted that each nominee should be treated individually.

However, a senior lecturer in the university who sought anonymity told Daily Champion yesterday night that honouring the former president would mean endorsing all his policies when he was in office including his alleged third term bid to remain in office.

http://www.champion-newspapers.com/news/article_20.htm

this is correct.

each university is autonomous body and can act as best fit for them.

Someone nominated OBJ from the piece. OBJ did not nominate himself.

So to make a statement that UNILAG refuses to honor OBJ is misleading as UNILAG is not under any obligation to honor anyone so rejecting any name for reasons best known to them should not be a big deal, well, unless the media as usual want to sell more copies.

Someone nominated OBJ from the piece. OBJ did not nominate himself.

someone always has to nomite you!

OBJ rejection will be news as you will naturally expect ex-President(good) to be honoured.

If the senate refused to confirm the nomination of OBJ, then they ve their valid reasons and they cannot be faulted on that and the fact that even the past Pro-chancellor of the school was denied then it goes to show that they have realy tut about it and they dont see the merit in honouring them

Kudos to them

yes someone nominated him and people have been doing in the past for the other awards he has but the rejection is what matters which goes a long way to express the feelings of the school for his deeds.
if i may ask, was it not the same issue with third term where obj claimed that someone or some people wanted him to continue yet some of us stood up to say no. someone nominated ibb to continue in 1993 and some people say no. in 1998 abacha was equally nominated and like the obj's award rejection, we in our fears still rejected him.
outwardly, it appears someone nominates them but in reality, they work underground for those awards.
history will not be interested in the man who nominated the ottah farm man but history will never forget the man who was bold enough to say no to the former kirikiri prisons inmate for a honourable award.
shame to obj no wonder yar adua, is reversing most of his contracts, policies and decissions.

Best news so far.[/color][color=#990000][color=#990000][/color]

very good news. history will judge OBJ very harshly indeed.

I am not impressed a bit. If they had done this when he was in the office it would have made more sense to me. It even goes a long way to show that Nigerians pratonise only those that can give them favour in return,
OBJ is out of office now and they know he can't give them any contracts

deor,
if they had tried this when he was president, they would have been sent the same place he sent slok airline.
they would have had the same experience AIT had for airing the house debate on third term agenda.
it is good now and another move will be for those who gave him awards in the past to take them back from him.
it will be nice again to send him back to where he belongs(kirikiri).

This is good development and its good for our economy, economy? yes economy.