UNILAG: Crisis deepens as council appoints new acting VC

Following the removal of Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe as vice-chancellor, University of Lagos (UNILAG), the governing council has appointed Prof Omololu Soyombo as acting vice-chancellor.

A statement on Wednesday by the university’s council through its secretary and registrar, Oladejo Azeez, reads:

“My attention has been drawn to a document circulating under the hand and Signature of the former Vice-Chancellor of the 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, in my capacity as Registrar and Secretary to Council the only custodian of the minutes of Council and the authorising 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 Omalolu Soyombo of The Faculty of Social Sciences, the University of Lagos as Vice-Chancellor of the University in an acting capacity.”