The management of the Lagos State
University (LASU) through the Centre for Information Press and Public Relations
(CIPPR) has responded to the allegations brought against it by one ‘Adewale
Agbaje’ published on some online media platforms.
The said publication was titled ‘Arresting the drift
towards authoritarianism’
According to a release signed by Ademola
Adekoya, Coordinator, CPPR, the write-up was an embodiment of falsehood. It
read in verbatim: At a time when the breath of fresh air over the Lagos State
University is copiously acclaimed and a period when the University is riding
the crest of unprecedented goodwill and global recognition; feats occasioned by
the wave of uninterrupted peace, a new culture of excellence in service delivery,
academic excellence and expansion of infrastructure and physical facilities, a
part of the LASU community (thankfully an insignificant numerical minority)
remains avowed to a mindless smear campaign to discredit the University
management and particularly the Vice-Chancellor at all cost.
Our attention has been drawn to
another sponsored polemic on the Vice Chancellor and by extension; the Lagos
State University titled “Arresting the drift towards Authoritarianism” by one
‘Adewale Agbaje’ published on some online media platforms a few days ago.
Understandably, the sensationalism
around the story has swayed some minds into believing, proliferating and
thereby giving vent to the hatred induced, bile-laced article; discerning and
fair minds have however approached the University pressing to know the other
side of the story, the truth, in order to make informed judgment. To them, we
address this position.
The Lagos State University disproves
the sponsored post in its entirety as nothing but fabricated falsehood, and a
lame attempt to derail the wheel of justice grinding in the University. We make
bold to say that the hands of some errant erstwhile staff of the University,
dismissed over the last two years, for various acts of misconducts, ranging
from proven cases for sex for grade, cash for grade, thievery and gross
indiscipline, are clearly all over this latest salvo, even while being promoted
in the voice of ‘Adewale Agbaje’ a proverbial case of hand of Esau, Voice of
Jacob.
In the article, ‘Adewale Agbaje’
accused the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun, SAN, whom he/she/they referred to
throughout the article as ‘Dr. Fagbohun’, of authoritarian tendencies and
leading a “University wholly permeated and bedeviled by ably small
maladministration, corruption, naked violation of University principles and
rights of workers”.
They also accused the University
management of gagging members of staff from speaking up, backdating of the Vice
Chancellor’s Appointment as Professor and mismanaging Staff Pension Funds on
accreditation-related purposes.
To these allegations, we like to again
place on record as follows:
The first observation to a perceptive
reader is that the piece is simply the tirade of an angry and indecorous party,
this is neither a principled nor civilised grievance borne by concern for due
process. The language is so uncouth; it calls to question the moral pedestal
‘Adewale Agbaje’ is standing on. This is a new low and nothing but a personal
attack on the integrity of the institutions which produced Prof. Fagbohun, SAN, as Vice Chancellor
and must be condemned by all.
The writer(s) predicated the
indiscretion on the backdating of the Vice Chancellor’s Professorship. We
reiterate that the backdating of Professor Olanrewaju Fagbohun’s Professorship, alongside those of others in 2014, was
without the infraction of the laws of the University. Prof. Fagbohun’s promotion, was due in 2007/2008 but was not effected until
2014. In line with the council Approval, Prof. Fagbohun’s Promotion letter, issued in 2014, conveyed 2007/2008 as the effective promotion year. It should
also be noted that backdating of promotions is a standard practice, one enjoyed
by staff from time to time. A prominent example is the Professorial Chair
endowed the Late Professor Abubakar Momoh in 2012 but with retroactive effect
from 2005, when he was first due, this is common practice but where mischief is
the intent, facts become inconsequential. The allegation is therefore misplaced
and unfounded.
The allegation that the University
Authority is gagging members of staff betrays a deep ignorance for the working
of the Public Institution like the University. The claim that Prof. Fagbohun, SAN, and the management forced members of the staff to Oath of
Secrecy Form is also laughable.
Signing an Oath of Secrecy Form is not
a recent phenomenon in the University. As a matter of fact, Section 3.8.1 of
the University Condition of Service mandates that an Oath of Secrecy Form be
administered on all members of staff. It must also be stated that no member of
staff has been forced to sign an Oath of Secrecy Form. If there is any
administration tolerant of criticism, it is the current administration. When of
all Unions of the University – NASU, SSANU, NAAT and even the Students’ Union, only
a few individuals seizing the ASUU platform condemn the
management of intolerance, then it leaves much to be desired.
On alleged mismanagement of pension
funds, Despite a series of well-documented rebuttal to the allegation of
mismanagement of Staff Pension Fund including a well-attended Press conference
by mainstream print and electronic media at which the University’s books were
laid bare, these lies are being reiterated and made recalcitrant.
We like to place on record once again
that the 2018 accreditation exercise
(under-reference) was funded using funds from the University’s Escrow
Investment Account and not Staff Pension Fund. Indeed, the University has no
access to this fund. Also, every item purchased, including Vehicles, was on the
approval of the Governing Council and the full knowledge of the State
Government. Evidences are available to this effect.
In all, it is pertinent to state that
Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun
administration is one that promotes the unprecedented harmonious relationship between
the management and all members of staff and students. It must also be stated
that the drums of crisis being beaten is the handwork of a very few but vocal
set of individuals who would stop at nothing to restore the Old order of
indiscipline and crisis in Lagos State University. The media should not
inadvertently abet this ignoble campaign. The new LASU brand is an open book
and interested journalists are invited to make their professional
investigations.
The LASU Community is solidly
mobilised behind the leadership of the incumbent management led by the Vice
Chancellor, Professor Olanrewaju Fagbohun, this explains the about four years
unprecedented, seamless administrative and academic cycle the University has
had. The questions to raise are the following:
Why is it only a few executive members
of ASUU, the only group of staff alleging gross maladministration in LASU?
How mobilised are academic staff
behind the ASUU-LASU EXCO?
Could academic activities continue
peacefully, if the sack of academic staff, indeed executive members of the
academic union was unpopular?
It is the illusion of the misled ASUU
executives that the Union will always have its way and can dispatch
Vice-Chancellors at will but the extant LASU situation has proven that good
works count these executive members discountenance the fact ASUU prevails
always only because its struggles are ever predicated on impeachable ethical,
moral and professional grounds.
An innocuous visit by a neutral,
fact-finding party will patently reveal the truth about LASU.
It is on record that the leadership of
all other Staff Unions have all exuberantly praised the efforts of the
management to institute rule of law while promoting the welfare of staff and
students.
We conclude by saying that there is a
new era of discipline and rule of law in Lagos State University and no smear
campaign would hamper this drive. We enjoin all well-meaning stakeholders to
partner with the new LASU.
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