Buhari reinstates Ogundipe as UniLag VC; Babalakin, Governing Council lose out

The President Muhammadu Buhari has put an end to the leadership crisis rocking the University of Lagos, reinstating its Vice Chancellor, Prof. Toyin Ogundipe, and sacking the governing council which initially sacked Ogundipe.

In a statement on Wednesday by the Director (Press and Public Relations) in the Federal Ministry of Education, Ben Ben Goong, the government said the process adopted to remove Ogundipe and his replacement with Omololu Soyombo, another professor in the school was faulty.

The statement titled:  ‘Re: Report of the Special Visitation Panel to the University of Lagos’ reads, “President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Visitor to the University of Lagos has approved the Report of the Special Visitation Panel to the University of Lagos.

“The highlights of the findings and recommendations approved by Mr. President are as follows:

“The removal of Professor Oluwatoyin T. Ogundipe as the Vice Chancellor did not follow due process.

“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.

“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.

“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.

“Mr. President after careful review of the report has approved all the recommendations of the Panel.

“Accordingly, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe is hereby reinstated as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos.

“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.”

Last August, Ogundipe withdrew a case he filed against his removal by the governing council of the school headed by Babalakin.

The Federal Government had directed him and the Pro-Chancellor, Babalakin, to recuse themselves from official duties, pending the outcome of the Special Visitation Panel set up by the President.

Ogundipe’s lawyer, Ebun Adegboruwa SAN, hinted then in a statement Ogundipe’s case againstthe governing council was withdrawn from court.

Adegboruwa said his client withdrew his suit “upon detailed consultation with all stakeholders and his supporters in and outside the University.”

He adds, “Prof. Ogundipe directed his lawyers to file a notice of discontinuance of the suit and this has been done on August 21, 2020.

“This is to defer to the authority of the President as the Visitor of the University as Prof. Ogundipe has enough time to challenge his purported removal.”

Babalakin’s Governing Council had, on August 12, sacked Ogundipe as Vice-Chancellor over alleged financial misappropriation and misconduct.

Ogundipe, however, rejected the Council’s decision, saying the University’s due process had not been followed.

The University’s Senate, alumni, and labour unions also put out statements saying due process had not been followed.

But Babalakin, in several media reactions, insisted that due process had been complied with in terminating Ogundipe’s appointment.

A Presidential Panel was set up, made up of seven members, to determine whether the required steps were taken by the Council in sacking Ogundipe.

The Visitation panel, which has since submitted its report was also expected “to make appropriate recommendations including sanctions for all those found culpable” in the investigation, which is expected to last for two weeks.

Members of the panel included Professor Tukur Sa’ad (Chairman), Barrister Victor Onuoha, Professor Ikenna Onyido, Professor Ekanem Braide, Professor Adamu K. Usman, Chief Jimoh Bankole and Barrister Grace Ekanem (Secretary).