Understanding the LASU conundrum

BY DIDEOLU AWOFOJU

No informed, objective observer can fault the Executive Governor of Lagos State and Visitor to Lagos State University on his procedural handling of the aftermath of the two botched selection processes of the 9th Vice-Chancellor for Lagos State University, which was clearly mishandled by the former Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council, Prof. Adebayo Ninalowo.

Relying on the powers conferred on him by the Lagos State University Law, Cap L69 volume 7, Laws of Lagos State, 2015 (as amended), the Visitor set up of a Special Visitation Panel for LASU to look into the flurry of petitions arising from the two processes led to the recommendation that Prof. Ninalowo should be removed, and that the Registrar, Mr. Mohammed Amuni, be placed on compulsory leave for their roles in the two botched selection processes and for flagrant violations of the extant laws and regulations of the university guiding the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor.

A recent paid public notice in some national daily newspapers made by Prof. Ninalowo was an attempt to play the victim rather than the villain that he is. He had two wonderful opportunities to provide the Lagos State University with a befitting and merit based 9th Vice-Chancellor, but he wasted the opportunities on the altar of self-interest. Ninalowo became used to compromise, especially from Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun, the 8th Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University, that he (Ninalowo) was ready to mortgage his conscience. It is surprising that Ninalowo tried to paint himself as being over-righteous when indeed he used the Governing Council, to a large extent, to implement many of the evil machinations of Fagbohun. Not only did Ninalowo help Fagbohun to dismiss some staff, especially five members of ASUU-LASU Exco based on flimsy excuses, Ninalowo almost dismissed Prof. A.O.K. Noah at the hurriedly organised Governing Council meeting of Thursday 20th May, 2021, one day before he was also unceremoniously removed and the Council dissolved.

It was at the insistence of some members of Council who resisted the move that saved Prof. A.O.K Noah, and saved the University another needless crisis Ninalowo wanted to plunge it into as a parting gift, having seen the ominous writing on the wall. Noah had received a query from Fagbohun for allegedly sending an SMS to a colleague on the question of his not being on the shortlist for the position of Vice-Chancellor. He had to face the Joint Council and Senate Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee for this. While we cannot remove the meddlesomeness of Fagbohun in the selection process, and connivance with Professor Ninalowo, the move was clearly to favour a candidate who has no PhD.

The deliberate favouritism expressed in favour of one candidate over others gave Ninalowo away in his frantic efforts at satisfying Fagbohun’s candidate for Vice-Chancellor. While failing to caution Ninalowo as the Secretary to the Joint Senate and Council Selection Committee, Mr. Amuni allowed the Ninalowo-led Committee to flagrantly violate its own advertisement by picking rules which would favour some, while applying the same rules to disqualify others.

With the public notice, Ninalowo only wishes to change the narratives of his dark days in LASU. But records of his evil days are safely stored for posterity. In connivance with Fagbohun, Ninalowo allegedly diverted the total sum of ₦281 million staff pension to buy luxury vehicles for top management staff including the Chairman of Governing Council, with a disguise of withdrawing the funds for accreditation. This piece of news has been published by many reputable news outlets in 2019.

When Ninalowo was newly appointed as Chairman of Governing Council the first time in 2015, the former Governor of Lagos State and Visitor to Lagos State University, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, assigned him an official car. However, Ninalowo allegedly collected money again from Fagbohun in order to buy another official car, which he allegedly did not. This was outside of the many frivolous financial claims often allegedly made by Ninalowo, which were expressly approved by Fagbohun.

Fagbohun’s financial recklessness in LASU has left our institution worse than he met it. We need to look beyond the media façade that Fagbohun employed successfully to his advantage, in order to come to terms with the reality on ground. The wind has blown, and it is clear that the smokescreen he used in concealing his guises is open. Not only is LASU indebted to the various Cooperative Societies during Fagbohun’s tenure to the tune of ₦600 million, the institution was in darkness in early 2021 for close to 3 months without electricity to function due to accumulated debts. LASU was indebted to Ikeja Electricity Board to the tune of ₦28 Million naira.  The implication for the debts to the Cooperative societies is that Fagbohun did not pay full staff salaries for close to 8 months in 2020.

Yet, Fagbohun allegedly paid himself the sum of ₦29,101,197.48 as end of tenure benefits in 2020, the same period LASU Management paid end of year bonus to staff. Fagbohun’s total payment for end of year 2020 bonus was allegedly ₦22,954,630.38 million. The gross: 29,101,197.48. Net payment: ₦25,556,175.87. Paye: ₦2,428,000.09. Employer and Employee contribution: ₦1,117,021.32.

In all of these, it is imperative that the Visitor constitutes a full Visitation Panel as quickly as possible. This is the point that will connect all the dots. The reason why Ninalowo and Fagbohun were desperate to impose a stooge Vice Chancellor was  because of the fear of being exposed. The Special Visitation Panel for LASU 9th Vice-Chancellor has uncovered what Ninalowo, Fagbohun and Amuni had planned to put LASU in perpetual bondage. With a full Visitation Panel, we may all again be surprised at what will be thrown open in the end. There is palpable excitement in LASU over the steps being taken by the  Visitor to reposition the University. He should ignore Ninalowo’s belated, face-saving media stunts, many of which are expected in the coming days.

Awofoju wrote from Ojo, Lagos.