Babalakin Insists Sack Of UNILAG Vice-Chancellor Followed Due Process
Pro-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Wale Babalakin on Friday insisted that the sacking of Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe as the school’s Vice-Chancellor by the Governing Council was fair and followed due process.
Some union members at the University had marched with Ogundipe on Thursday, protesting his sack as Vice-Chancellor, saying it did not follow due process.
The University’s Senate, after an emergency meeting on Thursday, also rejected the Vice-Chancellor’s sack and passed vote-of-no confidence on the Governing Council.
“Due process was not followed,” the Senate said in its resolution.
However, at the Friday press briefing held in Lagos, Babalakin re-affirmed the Governing Council’s decision and accused Ogundipe of looting the University’s resources.
“The Senate did not have a meeting, because it could not have had one,” he said. “The authority to call a meeting rests with the Vice-Chancellor and, as at the time he called the meeting, he was no longer Vice-Chancellor.
“Most people don’t know what the powers of the Council are vis-à-vis the removal of the Vice-Chancellor.
“I assure you that there was full compliance with the law in the removal of the Vice-Chancellor.”
Babalakin said members of the Council decided to remove Ogundipe because they “want the best for the university.”
“Series of attempts were made to reconcile, but the plain truth is that Professor Ogundipe has been looting the University, and looting it recklessly,” he said. “That’s the plain truth; we shouldn’t hide it.”
Babalakin further alleged that Ogundipe had been indicted for forging documents in recruitment processes.
“There is no crisis in Unilag,” he said. “What you have is a vocal minority benefiting extensively from the resources of the university.”
