Education, Featured
AS controversy continues to trail the sacking of Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, UNILAG chapter, has said that the Governing Council lacks powers to sack the VC. Dele Ashiru, chairman, UNILAG chapter of ASUU, said the sacking of the VC was illegal.
In a statement made available to Realnews, Ashiru said the union was seriously amused about Wale Babalakin’s charade, which purportedly removed the VC of the university. He noted that this illegal act is a further confirmation of the union’s earlier position that Babalakin is a lawless, egocentric and vindictive pro-chancellor.
“Section 17 of the University of Lagos Act (as amended) unambiguously provides the procedure for the removal of a Vice-Chancellor as follows: If it appears to the council that there are reasons for believing that the Vice-Chancellor, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, the Provost of a College or any other person employed as a member of the academic or administrative staff of the university or a College should be removed from his office or employment on the grounds of misconduct or of inability to perform the functions of his office or employment, the council shall:
(A) give notice of those reasons to the person in question
(B) make arrangements –
(i) for a joint committee of the council and the Senate to investigate the matter, where it relates to the Vice-Chancellor, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, the Provost of a College or the Registrar, and to report on it to the council; or
(ii) for a committee of the Senate to investigate the matter, where it relates to any other member of the staff of the university and to report on it to the Senate and to the council; and
(C) make arrangements for the person in question or his representative to be afforded an opportunity of appearing before and being heard by the investigating committee with respect to the matter; and if the council after considering the report of the investigating committee, is satisfied that the person in question should be removed as aforesaid the council may so remove him by an instrument in writing signed on the directions of the council,” he said.
Ashiru regretted that the removal of Prof. Ogundipe did not follow the procedures of the university. “Our union, therefore, condemns in the strongest terms, this illegal, reckless and destructive action by the pro-chancellor, Wale Babalakin. Our union affirms its confidence in the leadership of Professor Toyin Ogundipe as the Vice-Chancellor of our great university.”
– Aug. 13, 2020 @ 13.45 GMT |
Tags: UNILAG ASUU condemns sacking of Prof. Ogundipe as VC
