I remain UNILAG vice-chancellor, Ogundipe insists

Professor  Oluwatoyin Ogundipe: wins EU grant on Biodiversity

Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe: UNILAG VC

Prof. Ogundipe

By Taiwo Okanlawon

Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe has insisted that he remains the vice-chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

This is coming after Ogundipe’s removal was announced during the meeting of the Governing Council of the institution which held at the National Universities Commission (NUC) building in Abuja today.

Seven members voted for the removal of Ogundipe while four voted against. One of the members voted that he should rather be placed on suspension.

The meeting was presided over by its Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN).

However, Ogundipe in a statement hours later countered the announcement by the registrar and secretary to the governing council Oladejo Azeez, saying the news of his removal was “untrue”.

“The attention of the University of Lagos (Unilag) management has been drawn to the ‘Notice to the General Public on the Removal of the Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos’; dated August 12, 2020 and signed by Oladejo Azeez, Esq, Registrar and Secretary to Council, stating that the current Vice Chancellor, Professor Oluwatoyin T. Ogundipe, FAS has been removed from office with immediate effect,” the statement reads.

“This is untrue and a figment of his imagination. Therefore, stakeholders of Unilag and the general public are advised to disregard this mischievous disinformation about the sitting Vice Chancellor of Unilag, contained in that notice. Professor Ogundipe still remains Unilag’s Vice Chancellor.”

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Ogundipe was accused of gross misconduct, financial recklessness and abuse of office.

What The Law Says:

The enabling law of the university, the University of Lagos (Unilag) Act 1962 states how the Vice-Chancellor and other principal officers of the school can be appointed or removed from office.

Article 17 under the Constitution and functions of the University and its constituents bodies, listed how the Pro-Chancellor and certain members of the Council can be removed from office.

“If it appears to the Council that a member of the Council (other than an ex-officio member) should be removed from office on the grounds of misconduct or inability to perform the functions of his office, the Council shall make a recommendation to that effect through the Chancellor to the Visitor and if the Visitor, after making such enquires (if any) as he considers appropriate, approves the recommendation, he may, by any instrument on writing signed by him, remove the person in question from office.”

The First Schedule 4 (8) of the Act states,” The Vice-Chancellor may be removed from office by the Visitor after due consultation with the Council and the Senate acting through the Minister of Education.”

The Visitor to the university is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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