IT’S OFFICIAL: Buhari reinstates Ogundipe as UNILAG VC

Suspended Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, has been reinstated.

This was contained in a statement from the Ministry of Education’s Director Press and Public Relations, Ben-Bem Goong, on Wednesday.

The statement was titled, ‘Re: Report of special visitation panel to UNILAG’.

It read in part, “President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Visitor to the University of Lagos has approved the Report of the Special Visitation Panel to the University of Lagos.

“The highlights of the findings and recommendations approved by Mr. President are as follows – the removal of Professor Oluwatoyin T. Ogundipe as the Vice Chancellor did not follow due process.

“The Vice Chancellor was not granted an opportunity to defend himself on the allegations upon which his removal was based. He should accordingly be re-instated.

“All allegations made against the Vice Chancellor and the management of the University before and after the Constitution of the Special Visitation Panel should be referred to regular Visitation Panel for thorough investigation and necessary recommendations.

“The Governing Council should be dissolved.

“Mr. President after careful review of the report has approved all the recommendations of the Panel.

“Accordingly, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe is hereby reinstated as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos.

““The Governing Council of the University of Lagos Chaired by Dr. B. O. Babalakin is hereby dissolved. Mr. President hopes these steps will bring peace, stability, focus and direction to the University.”

Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of the University of Lagos, Wale Babalakin, and Ogundipe, were directed to recuse themselves from official duties, pending the outcome of the Special Visitation Panel set up by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on August 21, 2020.

The UNILAG’s Governing Council, headed by Babalakin had removed Ogundipe at its meeting in Abuja on Aug. 12, over allegations of infractions and gross misconduct.

The council, however, appointed Prof. Theophilus Omololu Soyombo of the Faculty of Social Sciences as the Acting Vice-Chancellor.

But Ogundipe denied the allegations and subsequently approached the court to challenge his removal.