THE Acting Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Theophilus Omololu Soyombo, got a rousing welcome from non-academic staff as he made a grand entry into the Senate building – the administrative headquarters of the institution yesterday morning.
But members of the union he belongs to, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) were largely absent.
ASUU insists it does not recognise the Ag. Vice Chancellor because the process that produced him was flawed.
The Chairman, ASUU-UNILAG, Dr. Dele Ashiru, said the procedure was for the University Senate to recommend the candidate for the position.
“Our reaction remains unchanged. We are convinced that the processes leading to the appointment of the so-called Acting Vice Chancellor are not in accordance with the law. And all we are saying is that all parties should follow the law in the interest of the education system.
“It does not matter whether anybody addressed the press or not; what is consistent is that the law says that whoever would be appointed as the Vice Chancellor, the recommendation must come from Senate. In this case, the so-called Acting Vice Chancellor has not been recommended by Senate and cannot be recognised by our union,” he said.
Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, who was removed as Vice Chancellor last week, said he would not comment on the development in the university. When The Nation reached out to him, he said: “No, I do not want to comment on what is happening. I am a man under authority.”
The Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) announced late Tuesday that it had pulled out of its resolution with ASUU and two other workers’ unions – the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) – to support the embattled Prof. Ogundipe.
NASU also withdrew its call for the dissolution of the Governing Council led by Dr. Wale Babalakin.
A statement by NASU Chairman Kehinde Ajibade, Secretary A.J. Aderibigbe, and College of Medicine University of Lagos (CMUL) Chairman Comrade T.S. Aderibigbe noted that the new position aligned with the members’ superior demands.
It reads:
“Coming to terms with the superior demand of our national body and the general members of the union, the union and branch chairmen hereby clearly dissociate themselves from the above-stated actions. As a responsive and responsible union largely known for putting the interest of her members first, NASU UNILAG and CMUL Idi-Araba will continue to frown at any act capable of jeopardising the common interest of all members and stakeholders.
“On this note, the union hereby wishes the Acting Vice-Chancellor Prof. Theophilus Omololu Soyombo a smooth sail in office.”
While addressing reporters yesterday, Soyombo promised to get across to ASUU members. He said he had received support from a large number of his colleagues.
“I can say that we have a cross-section of the staff of the university at my interaction with workers.
We have members of NASU, SSANU, NAAT, and we also had members of ASUU at that interaction and indeed we had a professor who spoke to stand with me. So what we had is a cross-section. But we should also know this interaction is a continuous process. The academic staff is located largely in the faculties and departments so the Acting Vice Chancellor will still visit the various faculties across the university as we move on.
“I can assure that we received messages and goodwill from the majority of the large cross-section of members of the university workers as well as students, as well as the alumni,” he said.
Soyombo, who said he had worked in the university for over 40 years, said he emerged Acting Vice-Chancellor because the Governing Council had not confirmed the election of the two Deputy Vice-Chancellors, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola (DVC, Development Services); and Prof. Ben Oghojafor (DVC, Management Services).
He said the institution was bigger than any individual.
“This appointment was with immediate effect. And I saw it as a call to service to the University of Lagos. And it is in this regard that I accepted the appointment for the ultimate benefit of the University.
“I thought that we should not allow the ship of the University of Lagos to continue to drift. The University of Lagos is a foremost university; the University of Lagos is greater than any individual; anyone of us.
“We all come here to work and at our various times, we pray that we all live till retirement. But whether we like it or not when we work in UNILAG, we will leave UNILAG. But the University of Lagos will continue. It behoves us to leave the university of Lagos better than we met it.”
He called on members of the university community to support his efforts to put the institution back on track.
“We are all familiar with the current situation. On the 12th of August 2020, the Governing Council of the University of Lagos removed the former vice-chancellor and announced my appointment as the Ag. Vice-Chancellor of the University. This appointment was with immediate effect. And I saw it as a call to service to the University of Lagos. And it is in this regard that I accepted the appointment for the ultimate benefit of the University.
“There is a lot of work in the University of Lagos but I can’t do it alone that is why I need your support that is why I need your prayers and I believe that we should all join hands together; let us work together for the progress of our University. When we have a success story it should be for each of us.”