President Muhammadu Buhari has restored the suspended Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Toyin Ogundipe, who was suspended in August this year.
This reinstatement is coming after the president disclosed that his removal by the governing council did not follow due process.
The President also said that the process adopted by the council in the appointment of Prof. Omololu Soyombo as acting Vice-Chancellor of the University was inconsistent with the provisions of the law relating to the appointment of an acting VC.
According to a statement issued by the Spokesperson of the Federal Ministry of Education, Ben Gooong, these are the approved findings and recommendations of the visitation panel to the University set up by the president:
1. The removal of Professor Oluwatoyin T. Ogundipe as the Vice Chancellor did not follow due process.
2. The Vice Chancellor was not granted an opportunity to defend himself on the allegations upon which his removal was based. He should accordingly be re-instated.
3. All allegations made against the Vice Chancellor and the management of the University before and after the Constitution of the Special Visitation Panel should be referred to regular Visitation Panel for thorough investigation and necessary recommendations.
4. The process adopted by the Council in the appointment of Professor Omololu Soyombo as Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University was inconsistent with the provisions of the Law relating to the appointment of an Acting Vice-Chancellor.
5. Mr. President after careful review of the report has approved all the recommendations of the Panel.
6. Accordingly, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe is hereby reinstated as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos.
7. The Governing Council of the University of Lagos Chaired by Dr. B. O. Babalakin is hereby dissolved. Mr. President hopes these steps will bring peace, stability, focus and direction to the University.”
It will be recalled Mr Ogundipe was removed during a council meeting in Abuja, he was also accused of financial impropriety and gross misconduct.
After Mr Ogundipe’s removal, Theophilus Soyombo was appointed acting vice-chancellor. Displeased about the move, Mr Ogundipe filed a case at the Lagos Industrial Court pressing the court to annul and set aside his dismissal.
Due to the above, Buhari appointed a seven-member committee to investigate the controversies in the school.
The crisis between the university’s governing council and the management reached its peak in March when the 2020 convocation, which had earlier been scheduled for March 9 to 12, was suspended.
Following the crisis, the president directed the pro-chancellor and the embattled vice-chancellor of the University of Lagos to step aside, while a special panel investigates the crisis rocking the university.
In September, the visitation panel set up by the Buhari to look into the matter, submitted its report to the federal government.
Two months after its submission, the federal government did not release the report of the UNILAG visitation panel, which was submitted by the chairman of the panel, Tukur Sa’ad, to minister of education, Adamu Adamu, on September 17, 2020.
Now, the VC has been recalled to his position.
