A retired Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Boniface Oye-Adeniran, has faulted the Nigerian government’s decision to reinstate the embattled Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe.
The Ministry of Education had on November 11 announced the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari to reinstate Ogundipe who was controversially sacked by the Governing Council of the University, formerly chaired by Wale Babalakin.
Oye-Adeniran, in an open letter to the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, said the action of the ministry has “undermined discipline in Nigerian universities.”
The former governing council member of the institution alleged that the report of the visitation panel submitted to Adamu was one-sided because the majority of the members were biased towards Ogundipe.
The letter read, “Why did you set up an inappropriate panel to investigate the removal of the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos? Why did your Ministry produce terms of reference that were deliberately designed to cover up the scandalous mismanagement of the University of Lagos under Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe?
“Why did you dissolve a brilliant, purposeful and selfless body of external members of Governing Council of the University of Lagos made up of the following persons? Dr B. O Babalakin, (Chairman), Alhaji Ali Hussein, Rev Yomi Kasali, Dr Saminu Dagari and Dr Bayo Adaralegbe.
“The chairman of the panel noted in his letter to you that the Special Visitation Panel set up for the University of Lagos was not an objective panel. It was a fraud on the nation as it was clearly and openly one-sided. Why did you remove an outstanding Governing Council to support management that has engaged in contract splitting which is a crime under Sections 20(e) and 58(3)(d) of the Procurement Act?
“Honourable Minister, this sort of criminal activity should not occur in any decent society much less a university. Is this the sort of university that the Ministry of Education wants? The panel also saw evidence of frivolous expenditure which was one of the reasons why Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe was removed from office.
“It will be impossible for any council to manage a university in this country if the recommendations of the panel are implemented. Did you have to go this far in undermining the educational system in Nigeria to protect Ogundipe’s gross mismanagement of the University of Lagos? We, the concerned alumni of the University of Lagos, ‘Unilag for Good,’ demand answers to these questions.”
