Unease Persists At UNILAG

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 Newspaper 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.

Also Read: UNILAG Is Bigger Than Anyone – Says Ag Vc

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.”

His Plans for UNILAG

Speaking about his plans for the university while addressing the workers from the foyer of the building, Soyombo pledged to prioritise their welfare. He also promised to ensure that the institution’s limited resources touch all areas. He said he would seek to expand its internally-generated revenue.
“I want to tell on my immediate plans for the University of Lagos. My major focus will be on staff welfare.

“I believe in this regard the human resources are the core assets of any organisation and I believe that a well-motivated staff to be able to deliver and work very hard. We must encourage our staff; we must motivate our staff to work well. I can assure us that issues of staff welfare; issues of the promotion will be properly addressed.

“The resources we have are very limited. But I will also ensure that within the limitation.

About resources, we will still explore possibilities or avenues for generating more internal revenue. And the profits from this will be utilised more equitably for the generality of our staff.”

With six months to work in an acting capacity, Soyombo called on the workers to support him.

“These are indeed trying times for our great University and your prayer is that God will see us through this trying period.

“I want to thank all our unions and the members – NASU, SSANU, NAAT, and ASUU. No matter what we say, we are all together and should all just work together and I believe that by the grace of God peace and stability will return to our University and we will all continue to work together in unity,” he said.

Preparing for resumption
Soyombo said the institution would improve on its facilities as well as build capacity to offer online classes as dictated by the present circumstance.

“I also want to say that we are missing our students. It is so unfortunate the current situation in the country. But the truth is that the University is not the same without them.

We are missing them, and we want them back. But in bringing them back we will ensure that will comply with all the NCDC hygiene and health practices and guidelines. We do not want to endanger the life of anybody.

“In this regard, we will ensure that the necessary facilities are put in place both for the classrooms, laboratories, lecture halls and halls of residence. So that when our students come back they would be able to operate in a safe environment.

“We will also explore the opportunities for online teaching for our students because if we had been able to do this, we would have made some progress as some of the private Universities have been able to do. In this regard, we will be challenging our CITS to step up so we are able to do this.”

Two professors, introduced as Prof. Daramola and Prof. Olowe, spoke in support of Soyombo’s appointment.