The Senate of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) has appointed Professor Folashade Ogunsola the new acting vice chancellor – the first female VC in the school’s history.
It comes after a directive of the federal government asking the school’s senate to nominate a vice chancellor to be confirmed by the governing council to end a leadership crisis that has bedevilled the school.
At the senate’s meeting on Monday, Ogunsola garnered 135 votes against Ben Oghojafor who had 31 votes.
Ogunsola is a professor of medical microbiology.
She is the immediate past provost of College of Medicine, University of Lagos and reputed as being the first woman to occupy the position.
The Governing Council of the University led by Wale Babalakin had at an emergency meeting on August 12, 2020 removed Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe from office as VC with immediate effect, accusing him of wrong doing, gross misconduct, financial recklessness and abuse of office.
Following Ogundipe’s removal, the governing council announced Professor Soyombo of the Faculty of Social Sciences as the Acting VC of the University. Though, the embattled VC, Prof. Ogundipe had described his purported removal as illegal. The governing council’s action generated mixed reactions from different quarters.
Intervening in the crisis, President Muhammadu Buhari last week Friday directed the pro-chancellor, Wale Babalakin and the embattled vice-chancellor of the university, Prof. Ogundipe to step aside while a special panel investigates the crisis rocking the university.
Prof. Soyombo on Saturday stepped down to give way for the Senate to appoint an acting vice chancellor as directed by President Buhari.
