9 professors shortlisted for LASU VC contest

Nine out of 14 professors have been shortlisted to contest for the post ‎of the vice-chancellor of the Lagos State University (LASU).

A source at the office of the university’s registrar, disclosed this to NAN on Friday in Lagos.

The source said 14 professors had applied for the position within the six weeks of the advertisement.

“Nine were shortlisted after several considerations of their qualifications and pre-requisites for absorption,” the agency quoted the source as saying.

John Obafunwa, the immediate past VC of the institution, was said to be among the five candidates who were not shortlisted.

According to the source, some of the candidates who were not selected do not possess a PhD certificate, while others had not spent up to 10 years as professors.

“Although the advertisement had outlined that the professorship of the candidates must have lasted seven years, it was extended to 10 years during the screening as it applies in federal universities,” it added.

The source said only six of the shortlisted professors were from LASU and identified them as Abolade Adeniji, dean of faculty of arts; Senna Bakre, former deputy vice-chancellor (academics), and Olatunji Bello from Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM).

Others are Nurudeen Olasupo, department of microbiology, Hamidu Sanni of the Islamic Studies department and Babajide Elemo, science faculty‎.

The professors from outside LASU S.A. Tella, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun state, Lanre Fagbohun, a former LASU staff, now in the University of Lagos (UNILAG), and an academic from Texas, who was simply identified as Oki.

The source also ‎said the interview for the shortlisted candidates had been scheduled to hold at LASUCOM, Ikeja, on December 7.

The post of the LASU VC became vacant following the expiration of the tenure of Obafunwa on October 31.

‎On November, the state government appointed Fidelis Njokanma (DVC, administration) as the acting VC of the institution through the university’s governing council led by Adebayo Ninalowo, a professor.‎

Akinwunmi Ambode, governor of Lagos, sent the LASU 2015 amendment bill to the state house of assembly for ratification.

The proposed a single term of five years for the institution’s vice-chancellor.