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UNILAG Governing Council Sacks Vice-Chancellor Ogundipe

The University of Lagos (UNILAG) Governing Council has sacked Professor Olawatoyin Ogundipe as Vice-Chancellor of the school.

Professor Ogundipe’s sack was announced after a meeting of UNILAG’s Governing Council chaired by the institution’s Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Dr. Wale Babalakin.

The meeting was held on Wednesday at the National Universities Commission (NUC) in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

The Federal Ministry of Education, however, said it is yet to be briefed on the developments at UNILAG.

It, however, affirmed that the university’s council has the power to hire and fire, but that due process must be followed in doing so.

It was learned that seven members of the council voted for Professor Ogundipe’s removal, while four others voted against it; but one of them voted that the Vice-Chancellor should rather be placed on suspension.

Meanwhile, the UNILAG branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has condemned what it described as the “purported removal.”

In a statement signed today by its Chairman, Dr Dele Ashiru, the union accused Babalakin of being behind the plot.

“His removal is illegal and uncalled for. Our union condemns in the strongest term the purported removal. It is the machination of the pro-chancellor to destabilise this university.

“We reaffirm our confidence in the leadership of Professor Toyin Ogindipe as Vice-Chancellor of the university,” the statement partly read.

Professor Ogundipe’s removal is coming after a long drawn battle between the management of the institution and its governing council.