UNILAG: Council insists VC remains sacked, names Soyombo as replacement

The Registrar and Secretary to Council of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Oladejo Azeez has insisted, that Professor Oluwatoyin T. Ogundipe remains removed as Vice Chancellor of the institution.

He has also named Professor Theophilus Omololu Soyombo of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Lagos as Vice Chancellor of the University in an Acting Capacity.

Azeez had earlier on Wednesday announced that Odundipe was removed at a meeting of UNILAG governing council held at the headquarters of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Abuja, and presided over by the institution’s pro-chancellor, Wale Babalakin.

The former vice-chancellor was axed over alleged financial impropriety and gross misconduct.

But in his response, Ogundipe asked Nigerians to ignore the announcement of his removal, insisting he still remained the institution’s vice-chancellor.

READ ALSO: UNILAG VC’s purported removal illegal —ASUU

Following Ogundipe’s claim that he was still the vice-chancellor of UNILAG, Azeez, in a fresh statement entitled ‘Re: Notice to the general public on the removal of the vice chancellor, University of Lagos, Akoka-Lagos’, insisted that Ogundipe remained sacked.

“My attention has been drawn to a document circulating under the hand and signature of the former Vice Chancellor of University of Lagos, Professor Oluwatoyin T. Ogundipe, FAS. The letter purports to deny his removal by the Governing Council of University at its Emergency Meeting of Wednesday, August 12, 2020.

“For the avoidance of doubt, I am in my capacity as Registrar and Secretary to Council the only custodian of the minutes of Council and the authorizing officer on behalf of Council to issue official statements pertaining to all Council Affairs.

“Members of the public are hereby advised to totally disregard the statement attributed to the said former Vice Chancellor. The position remains that he was lawfully removed by the Governing Council at a meeting fully attended by all Council members.

“I also wish to use the opportunity to inform members of the public that Council at the said meeting duly appointed Professor Theophilus Omololu Soyombo of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Lagos as Vice Chancellor of the University in an Acting Capacity,” Azeez, said.

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