UNILAG: Ogundipe Briefs Lawyer, To File Legal Action

A Legal battle is set to begin as the ‘removed’ Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, has given his lawyers the nod to institute a legal action to challenge the decision of the Governing Council of the institution.

Ogundipe had debunked his removal by the council, maintaining that he remained the VC of the school.

Our correspondent learnt that Ogundipe had written his lawyer, Mike Ozekhome SAN, to begin a legal action against those who engineered his removal.

His statement reads: “I hereby formally brief you to institute legal proceedings against the Council, Pro-Chancellor of the University of Lagos and others based on their illegal and unconstitutional act of purportedly removing me from office as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos.

“I honestly believe that this action was carried out without due process and contrary to the University Act and other extant laws governing discipline, suspension and removal of the Vice-Chancellor of the University.

“I humbly urge you to use your legal experience to redress this grave injustice meted out to me.”

Also, UNILAG Chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has backed the embattled “sacked” Ogundipe, calling his removal by the council an unlawful act.

ASUU had converged on the school on Thursday, for an emergency meeting regarding over the purported sacking of Ogundipe.

The Registrar Secretary to Council Oladejo Azeez, had announced Ogundipe’s removal on Wednesday.

Chairman, ASUU-UNILAG, Dele Ashiru, in a statement, emphasised that Ogundipe was still the VC of the institution.

The union frowned on the Pro-chancellor, Wale Babalakin, for the crisis bedevilling the institution.

“Our Union therefore Condemns in the strongest terms, this illegal , reckless and destructive action by the Pro-chancellor, Dr. Wale Babalakin.

“Our Union affirms its Confidence in the leadership of Professor Toyin Ogundipe as the Vice Chancellor of our great university.

“ASUU-UNILAG is seriously amused about Dr. Wale Babalakin’s charade which purported removed the Vice Chancellor of our great university, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe”, it stated.

The union stressed that the lawful procedure for dealing with allegations against a staff of a university were clearly spelt out, but added that it was not adhered to in the VC’s removal.

“This illegal act is a further confirmation of our earlier position that Dr. Wale 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 the office or employment , the Council shall

(a) give notice of those reasons to the persons 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, 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 to question should be removed as aforesaid the Council may so remove him by an instrument in writing signed on the directions of the Council,” it stated.