* ASUU condemns postponement
The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has postponed its 51st Convocation ceremony earlier scheduled to commence from March 9th – 12th, 2020 over alleged supremacy battle between the University management and its Pro-Chancellor, Mr. Wale Babalakin.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Oluwatoyin T. Ogundipe, had on Tuesday addressed a pre-convocation press briefing where he announced that 281 out of the 13,489 graduating students would bag First Class division for the 2018/2019 academic session.
A notice circulated by management of the University on Thursday night did not state any reason for the postponement.
When contacted, the Principal Assistant Registrar, Information Unit of UNILAG, Mrs. Taiwo Oloyede, confirmed that the convocation has been postponed but did not give any reason for the management’s decision to postpone the ceremony.
However, the chairman of UNILAG chapter of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Mr. Dele Ashiru, told DailyTrust that the convocation was postponed because of the over-bloated ego of the Pro-Chancellor of the University, Mr. Wale Babalakin who claimed that he had not been carried along in fixing a date and plan for the ceremony.
According to Mr. Ashiru, the date and budget for the convocation was approved by the Council.
“Babalakin feels that he is larger than the University. He is not bothered about the trauma the students and their parents would be going through as a result of this action. This act in itself will not delay his day of judgement in UNILAG.
“Our union condemn the wicked, arbitrary, dictatorial, and unquestionable postponement of the convocation based on the over-bloated ego of the Pro-Chancellor,” he said.
When our reporter attempted to get official comment from Mr. Babalakin, he could not be reached as at the time of filing this report.
