Confusion As Two Statements Surface Over Status Of UNILAG VC, Ogundipe

Two conflicting statements have emerged over the status of Professor Oluwatoyin T. Ogundipe, Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos.

In an earlier statement signed by UNILAG’s Registrar and Secretary to Council, Oladejo Azeez, he stated that the management of the university on Wednesday, removed the VC over allegations bordering on financial misappropriation.

“The general public is hereby notified that an Emergency Meeting held on Wednesday, 12th August, 2020 and in accordance with the statutory powers vested in it by law, the Governing Council of the University of Lagos removed Professor Oluwatoyin T. Ogundipe from office as Vice Chancellor of the University with immediate effect.

“The decision was based on Council’s Investigation of serious acts of wrongdoing, gross misconduct, financial recklessness and abuse of office against Professor Oluwatoyin T. Ogundipe”, the statement read.

However, in another statement, Prof Ogundipe debunked the first statement by the management, stressing that the announcement was “untrue and a figment of his imagination”.

His statement further reads:

“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.

“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”.

Recall that the chairman of the governing council, Wale Babalakin and the VC had been having a running battle over the management of the school.

For instance, in March 2020, they had disagreements regarding the convocation of the university, which made the National Universities Commission (NUC) to cancel it.