The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council, University of Lagos, Dr. Wale Babalakin, says the removal of the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe followed due process and was legal.
Briefing reporters in Lagos on Friday, Babalakin said the Council sacked Ogundipe after he was accused of gross misconduct and misappropriation of funds. The Pro-Chancellor alleged that Ogundipe had been indicted for forging documents in recruitment processes.
He noted that there is no crisis in the institution as claimed by some section of the media, adding that the Ministry of Education has been briefed on the development at the university.
Speaking on the process leading up to the VC’s removal, Babalakin said “The VC was removed because he allegedly misappropriated the university’s funds.
“We agreed to have a secret ballot that we have always had when there are contentious issues. The votes were counted, they were not just votes, everybody wrote their own comments and I read it out to everybody. “
Reacting to Ogundipe’s lawsuit against the governing council, he said, “When a VC is removed and he wants to complain, he can write to the visitor, he cannot on his own declare that he has not been removed, neither can he confront his employers.
“He cannot while still in office, institute an action against his employers. In law, apart from being removed, he has resigned. I think Ogundipe’s legal advisers have not done a thorough job. He needs to go and read the law properly.”
Babalakin noted that members of the Council decided to remove Ogundipe because they “want the best for the university.”
He added: “There is no crisis in UNILAG. What you have is a vocal minority benefiting extensively from the resources of the university.”
