LASU Panel On VC’s Appointment: We Are Fair To All

*Sanwo-Olu receives report

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu yesterday received the report of a six-member special visitation panel on the appointment of the 9th substantive Vice Chancellor (VC) of the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo.

The panel, chaired by former VC of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Prof. Bamitale Omole, turned in three volumes of report to the Governor – the Visitor to the university – 37 days after it was constituted, to examine if the extant laws of the university and other relevant guidelines were followed in the process of appointing the new VC.

Sanwo-Olu said he was elated by the timely submission of the panel’s recommendations, adding that the feat demonstrated members’ competency, selflessness and hard work.

He hoped that the report would enable the government achieve peaceful transition and foster peaceful industrial relations in the institution.

The governor pledged his commitment to give stakeholders a level playing field and equal opportunity, noting that the panel was raised in the interest of students and image of the university.

He said: “Today, I received reports of the special visitation panel on the vice chancellorship of LASU, which looked into the issues surrounding the appointment of the 9th vice chancellor, especially the remote causes of the impasse in the selection process and procedures for the appointment.

“This effort is geared towards ensuring that there is equality, fairness, transparency, openness and level playing field for all in the process of selection and to ensure that the best and the most qualified person that will drive the established vision of the school’s founding fathers emerges at the end of the process.

“I thank the chairman of the special visitation panel, Prof. Bamitale Omole, and other members of the panel for the sacrifice, selflessness and inconveniences they had to bear in the course of the task. Report of this panel will be well utilised and its recommendations will be fully implemented in the appointment of the 9th vice chancellor of LASU.”

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Tokunbo Wahab, said the panel was constituted in accordance with Section 23 of the Lagos State University Law, Chapter L 69, Volume 7, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

The panel, he said, was charged to look to review, in the public interest, the relevance of the deluge of petitions against the first and second selection processes for the appointment of substantive VC and to examine if the extant laws of the university and other relevant guidelines were followed in the appointment.

Wahab added that the panel was also asked to review and advise on other relevant matters in respect of the process adopted so far, and make recommendations for the smooth running of the university.

Presenting the report, Prof. Omole said: “Without scintilla of equivocation in our findings, observations and recommendations are based on the memoranda submitted to us, the face-to-face interactions and interviews that we had with many of the people who held opposing and disparate position on the matter of the appointment of the 9th VC.

“Individuals, groups, associations, unions, guild, the academia and traditional rulers who submitted memoranda were given ample opportunities to present their submissions. The documents we are submitting to the Visitor of the university are final products of the careful and punctilious exercise for official consideration.”

Other eminent members of academia on the panel include former VC of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Joseph Ajienka, Council of Oba Adetona on Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago Iwoye, Prof. Ayo Olukotun, former Lagos Solicitor-General, Mr. Lawal Pedro, SAN, former Registrar of University of Ibadan (UI), Mr. Olujimi Olukoya and a Director on Grade Level 17 in Lagos public service, Mrs. Funmilola Olajide, who is the panel’s secretary.