₦airaland Forum

Breakings: Ogundipe, a Serial Offender, Lavishes Money on Renovation Again

In the rehabilitation of staff quarters in the University, the case of Dr. Zaid, the University Librarian and that of Professor Oboh, Ogundipe’s favourite who occupies three administrative positions in the University, comes to the fore.

Dr. Zaid was appointed the University Librarian in 2018 but she has not been able to move into her official residence till date.

This is partially due to the sit-tight fight of her predecessor who in the hope of being appointed a Professor has held on to the accommodation illegally while on sabbatical leave.

The exposure of the irregularities in November, 2019 by the Council which led to the order for rejection of Dr (Mrs.) Fadekemi has not helped matter up till now. Since she moved out, the Sacked Vice Chancellor decided to punish the Librarian for her alleged complaint to some Council members for assistance to stop her predecessor’s appointment in spite of the fact that there was no College or School of Library studies or Student as at the time it was presented for Council’s approval; the Appointment and Promotions Committee having being stampeded to recommend it for Council's approval.

In spite of many projects treated as priorities by the embattled Professor Ogundipe, the official residence of a University Principal officer who stays outside the campus has not been given any serious attention and there seems not to be any hope as the Management capitalizes on non-approval of the University budget as excuse.

The newly allocated staff quarters vacated by Professor Ibidapo-Obe was allocated to Professor Oboh.

Professor Ogundipe's unofficial Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Nubi, is doing the Ex-VC's bidding. Professor Oboh was allocated a prime staff quarters above others who were her seniors and have been on the waiting list for years. Oboh the avowed supporter of Ogundipe got the prime allocation which is being given massive renovation and rehabilitation with men on site 24/7. An official quarters vacated by a senior Deputy Registrar has also been allocated to one of the sacked VC’s boys, a junior administrator in the University without following due process, while some Professors and Senior Administrators who applied for accommodation were denied.

The many hidden accounts of the University provided the much needed funds for the rehabilitation of the houses of the Ex-VC's favorites while many senior officers languish in their quarters for lack of maintenance which they were eventually forced to personally undertake with their private funds.

BREAKING: Permanent Secretary lobbies Sultan to Cover Up Allegations against Ogundipe

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Arc. Sonny S.T. Echono, has been seen taking the removed VC of Unilag, Professor Ogundipe around to lobby for his re-instatement as the Vice-Chancellor.

The P.S directed the former VC to the Sultan of Sokoto, Emir Muhammadu Sa'ad Abubakar to beg the President of the Federal Government to ignore all the fraud allegations against him and cover up his corrupt acts.

Ogundipe was in Abuja visiting some eminent persons to support his fraud by begging for his return as the Vice Chancellor.

Some of his aides who accompanied him to the airport confirmed that he arrived Sokoto yesterday and met with the Sultan early today.

Ogundipe has been accused of misappropriation of fund, result forgery and abuse of office among others. It could be noted that the Benue Born Permanent Secretary, Arc. Sonny S.T. Echono, who thought the Minister, Prof. Adamu Adamu would not be returned after the first term of President Buhari, followed Ogundipe to beg the House Committee on Procurement in 2019

BREAKING: INDICTED OGUNDIPE, ACTING VC, UNILAG BURSAR JUBILATES AS BABALAKIN, UNILAG'S PRO-PRO-CHANCELLOR RESIGNS

News filtering into our Newsroom authoritatively has it that a jubilant party of the trio of the recused Vice Chancellor, Professor Toyin Ogundipe, the Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Sade Ogunsola and the University Bursar, Lekan Lawal, who were all fingered in the recently uncovered merciless and unprecedented looting of that University of first choice were sighted celebrating the recused Council Chairman's resignation. This confirms our recent reports on the gergantuan efforts being made by the trio to influence both the actual sittings and the final report of the Visitation Panel, which was submitted earlier today to Education Minister, Adamu Adamu who received the report on behalf of the Visitor, President Muhammad Buhari.

Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN), who until his resignation letter dated September 15, 2020 but released to the Press shortly after the Panel's reports were submitted this afternoon, said his zeal to rescue the University from acute financial management which was done with the best of intention and in accordance with the appropriate laws establishing the University, by the University Council and which should have been subjected only to court interpretation as opposed to the setting up of a Special Visitation Panel, was aimed at rubishing him and the Council under his leadership by the supervising authorities. This intention according to him is manifestly displayed by his government's directive that he should be recused, the setting up of the Visitation Panel, it's terms of reference, it's hobnobbing with the indicted officers and the manner witnesses were obstructed from appearing before it, et cetera.

Analysts have explained that, just as the Pro-Chancellor has alleged in his resignation letter to the Visitor through the Education Minister, that the appointment of the Panel and it's terms of reference was orchestrated to vindicate Ogundipe and villify the Council under his leadership, the indicted officers and corruption may be having it their way after all.

The old adage, however, has it that truth will always prevail at the very last.

"If you malign the truth, it will be more aligned; if you bury the truth it will certainly resurrect on the third day and if lies have been traveling for twenty years, just in a single day, truth will overtake it", the saying goes.

lagholden:
Press Release

ASUU'S CLAMOUR FOR BABALAKIN'S REMOVAL QUITE LAUGHABLE AND BASELESS
- Concerned Stakeholders

The rumoured clamour by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Unilag's Branch, being nudged on by it's militant pro-Ogundipe driven chairman, Dr. Dele Ashiru and the equally Ogundipe-Solidarity driven Senate, championed by Prof. Agomo, for dissolution of the Anti-Corruption driven Council under the able leadership of Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN) and removal of the University's Registrar is not only laughable but a clear manifestation of desperation, debauchery, decadence and an iron-seared concience devoid of even the least sense of decorum or civility in the ranks of supposed dons of a first class Ivory Tower in the class of the highly prestigious University of Lagos.

The above posture being shamelessly portrayed and pursued actually poses question on the academic integrity of these Professors and Doctors beats one's wildest immagination as there is clearly no basis for the removal of the Council Chairman, who is arguably the most experienced and noble Pro-Chancellor in the country ditto for their outrageous demands the Registrar's removal Council dissolution as contained in their mischievous and clandestine memoranda allegedly submitted to the Visitation Panel last week Wednesday.

The two groups mentioned above, investigations revealed, have been beneficiaries of Prof. Toyin Ogundipe's alleged loot, which, if subjected to a thorough investigation and scrutiny of the EFCC and trial may send them to prison.

Professor Agomo, who was Senate's representative during the Appointment of Ogundipe by the University Council has been bitter over her non-appointment as a Deputy Vice Chancelor as earlier promised by Ogundipe.

Ashiru on the other hand is said to be a Senior Lecturer who desires to be an Associate Professor which is not yet merited.

Sources claim, it is obvious that their ambitions may not be realised under the current Council leadership and composition that ensures all promotions are based on merit.

Babalakin's Offence, according to our authoritative and independent sources, point to the following:

• Dr. Babalakin does not tolerate embezzlement

• He does not give room for preferential or fraudulent promotion of staff

• He believes in equal treatment of all cadres of staff across-board

• He is plain

• It is on record that he has given all Junior Staff #5000 each when the Management planned to underpay them

• He has exposed illegal Security Votes given to the Dean, Student Affairs, which was alleged to have been shared with ASUU leadership.

• He gave the Faculty of Law the sum of N500, 000.00 for 27 months to equip the Faculty's Library. This is the money Council's investigations reveal that Prof Atsenuwa cannot account for.

• He donated acres of land to the University of Lagos. Et cetera, et cetera.

In the light of the above, the Visitor through the Visitation and the watchful and dicerning public are being put on red alert not to be bambozoed by the antics of these comic and dishonest elements who seems to be given other good members of ASUU and the University Senate a bad name.

Thank you.

Alumnus Ayowole Akintayo,
+234 808 218 7145

For: The Concerned Stakeholders of UNILAG

Ogundipe cannot survive this. It is only a thief that will move against Babalakin. Babalakin has nothing to loose.

The former Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Toyin Ogundipe has on Sunday September 7 relocated to Abuja. He was seen at the Airport on Sunday evening in company of his Assistant Registrar, Mr. Bolarinwa boarding the aircraft to Abuja.

His relocation is in connection with the Visitation Panel Report that will be submitted anytime soon.

Professor Ogundipe had earlier planted his Protocol Officer to romance with the Panel Secretary who is her native sister.

The Visitation Panel left for Abuja on Sunday morning having stayed in Lagos for one week.

Efforts to reach the Chairman of the Visitation Panel on Phone is abortive.

The declaration of vote of confidence, by credible members of the University of Lagos community, on the Pro chancellor and the Chairman of University of Lagos Governing council, Dr. 'Wale Babalakin, SAN., was hinged on our sincere appreciation and support for his leadership.
The vote of confidence was borne out of dispassionate assessment of his contribution, to nation building and the progress of University of Lagos in particular. He is a man of goodwill.
Dr. Babalakin parades intimidating but beneficial credentials of outstanding performance in business and public life. To us, in University of Lagos, he amply demonstrated his goodwill when, shortly after his appointment as Pro chancellor, he convened a village square meeting with all the non teaching staff members, junior and senior. Through the meeting, he obtained salient information on marginalization, stagnation, delayed promotion and several untreated welfare matters.
Today, many staff have been positively affected by measures, steps and directives which issued out of that village square meeting. Many stagnated officers have their careers restructured and delayed promotions granted.
We are equally aware of his insistence on the need for prudence in the utilization of the Universities resources.
A man with milk of kindness in his bosom. He once publicly wondered how staff members on paycheck of 50,000 naira and below could survive in a place like Lagos. His wish that something be done to help such indigent members of staff, financially, was rather crippled by self serving officers in the University.
A Pro chancellor, whose altruism soars and touches souls. Stories abound as to how he spends, from his purse, to support units and departments or faculties who lacked cash. Faculty of Law is a reference.
Aside, Dr Babalakin is a great alumnus of University of Lagos, a pride of the University of Lagos community. A colorful scholar; he bagged his PhD at the young age of 26 years.
His contribution to the nation is superlative. Over the years, he has demonstrated his unique capabilities in public service, serving as
Pro chancellor and the chairman of University of Maiduguri Council(2009-2013)
Chairman, Committee of Pro chancellors of Federal Universities in Nigeria
Chairman of the implementation monitoring committee of the agreements entered into between FGN and the Unions in the Nigerian Universities.
Chairman of the Federal government committee to renegotiate the 2009 agreement between FGN and universities based Unions
Currently, the Pro chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of University of Lagos
He is a husband of one wife, Mrs Gbolahan Babalakin, who is also lawyer.
The aforementioned credentials of Dr. 'Wale Babalakin, SAN are of public knowledge. It is nothing but putting truth on its head, for any person or group of persons to think that such a colossus could be so cheapened or stigmatized without being challenged. In this wise we affirm his integrity as a leader and acknowledge him as the sitting Pro chancellor and chairman, University of Lagos Council. We reaffirm our implicit confidence in his leadership. AND WE THE UNDERSIGNED STAKEHOLDERS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS PROJECT SO AFFIRM.

SIGNED
ADEKOLA ADETOMIWA
TOYE ASAJU
OSENI BABATUNDE
OGUNDEJI ADEMOLA
MAZI OFFOR
NWANKWO G. O.
KOLAWOLE OKANLAWON
AMIOLA ELIJAH
ADENIYI ADEBOWALE