UNILAG: Acting VC, Soyombo Resigns

The newly appointed acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof Omololu Soyombo, on Saturday resigned his appointment with immediate effect.

It will be recalled that President Buhari had asked the embattled and sacked Vice-Chancellor, UNILAG, Prof. Toyin Ogundipe to step aside.

Buhari also directed the Pro-Chancellor of the institution, Dr. Wale Babalakin to recuse himself from official duties.

The president constituted a special visitation panel to look into the ongoing crisis in UNILAG.

The panel was given two weeks to submit its report.

President Buhari directed the senate of the university to convene and nominate an acting vice-chancellor from among its members for the confirmation by the university council.

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The governing council led by the Pro-Chancellor, Dr Wale Babalakin, had appointed Soyombo last week after it sacked Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe.

In a statement to newsmen, Prof. Soyombo said the resignation followed the directive of the federal government that ordered UNILAG Senate to nominate an acting VC for the varsity.

He said: “The news of the setting up of a Special Visitation Panel to the University of Lagos by the Federal Government was received in the evening of Friday, 21st August 2020. The government also directed the University Senate to nominate an Acting Vice-Chancellor for the University, for confirmation by the Governing Council. With this, I am stepping down, with immediate effect, as Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University.

“I wish to express my sincere appreciation to all members of staff and our dear students, the staff unions, alumni and the general public for their wonderful support and cooperation in the past ten days since my appointment as Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University on 12th August 2020.

“As I noted in my address to a cross-section of staff on 19th August 2020, I accepted the offer to serve as a call to service, with the objective of restoring peace and stability in the university.

“It is my prayer that the peace and stability that we so much need and desire at this time be restored very quickly, so that the University of Lagos can continue to march on as the University of First Choice and the Nation’s Pride,” he concluded.