UNILAG Council ratifies Ogunsola’s appointment as Acting VC

Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

THE Governing Council of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) has ratified the appointment of Prof. Folasade Ogunsola as the institution’s Acting Vice Chancellor.

Her appointment was ratified during a virtual meeting the Council held yesterday and chaired by Dr. John Momoh, who was appointed on Monday as interim Governing Council Chairman.

Ogunsola was elected on Monday by the university’s Senate, following the Federal Government’s directive that embattled Vice Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, and the Council’s erstwhile chairman, Dr. Wale Babalakin, should step aside while a Special Visitation Panel it set up examines the university’s affairs.

Dr. Momoh, who is also the National President of UNILAG Alumni Association, was directed to convene an emergency meeting to ratify Ogunsola’s nomination and submit a report on the meeting immediately.

The Nation gathered that the National Universities Commission (NUC) had been directed by the Federal Ministry of Education to prepare for the inauguration, while it communicated the same to the Registrar, Oladejo Azeez.

The members of the panel are: Prof. Tukur Sa’ad (Chairman), Mr. Victor Onuoha, Prof. Ikenna Onyido, Prof. Ekanem Braide, Prof. Adamu Usman, Chief Jimoh Bankole, and Mrs. Grace Ekanem.

Ogunsola, a Professor of Clinical Microbiology, is the first woman in the history of the 58-year-old institution to occupy the exalted position.

The 62-year-old, who was until her appointment the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Development Services), competed against the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Management Sciences), Prof. Ben Oghojafor, for the position.

The Nation also learnt last night that six of the 14 members boycotted the Council meeting, including Azeez, who also failed to carry out the Federal Government’s directives to facilitate the Senate and Council meetings.

Others not at the meeting are: Mr. Bayo Adarelegbe, who works in Dr. Wale Babalakin’s chambers; Rev. Yomi Kasali, Dr. Saminu Dagai, who headed a sub-committee to examine the university’s finances since 2017; Alhaji Alli Hussein, and Oluwarotimi Shodimu, a former Registrar of the university.