• Friday, March 29, 2024
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Lagos Assembly to investigate LASU VC tussle

Lagos State University (LASU)

The Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Ajayi, has charged the committee on tertiary education to carry out investigations on the issues raised concerning the appointment of substantive Vice Chancellor for the Lagos State University (LASU).

This was after the issue came up for debate at plenary on Tuesday, after it was raised by Sanai Agunbiade under Matters of urgent public importance on the floor of the House.

Agunbiade noted that the recorded excellence of the institution must not be allowed to wither; therefore adding that Babajide Sanwo-Olu be called on to take a pragmatic step to nip the controversy and crises in the bud

Worried that the issues faced by LASU in the course of appointing its Vice Chancellor will torpedo the excellence and giant heights it has recorded over time.

In his contribution, Sanni Okanlawon stated that, there are three fundamental issues that are affecting LASU which include clash of interest, intra campus competition and indigenous interest.

“There must be moderation to indigenous interest or the impact will be disturbing. We should be focused on professionalism and we must not shy away from bold and decisive steps that will resolve these issues,” he said.

Aligning his position with colleagues, another member, Desmond Elliot, observed that during the 8th Assembly, LASU Law was amended and by that it grew in leaps and bounds showing that the House advanced the institution with the position of a Vice Chancellor and a Governing Council.

He however, maintained that the House should further ensure that a seamless transition is engaged for the immediate past Governing Council to a new one in LASU, stressing that before the retirement of an outgoing VC tenure, an interim had already been decided 8 months before, to oversee the activities of the outgoing VC.

Another member, Gbolahan Yishawu said that the issue has created a lacuna and the House must look into that to ensure that such a vacuum does not occur again.

Rasheed Makinde positioned that LASU is awarded subventions by the House to ensure qualitative experience and education to students which it fulfils, however, each time a transition period is to occur, issues arise which regresses the good work of the immediate past Vice Chancellors.

Speaker, Obasa, added that the issue of succession draws the institution back and it seems the people in charge are trying to undermine the intention of the government, mandating the committee on tertiary education to report to the House in a week.

Recall that the appointment of a successor for the institution’s 8th substantive VC, Olanrewaju Fagbohun, who left in December, has been generating controversy.

Governor Babatude Sanwo-Olu had rejected the first and second nominations by the university’s governing council earlier in the year, largely due to complaints by some applicants and ordered a fresh process. The Governor also endorsed the recommendations of the visitation panel and dissolved the institution governing council led by Adebayo Ninalowo in May.