The newly constituted Governing Council of Lagos State University (LASU) comprises members familiar with goings-on, in the institution. With the race on for the appointment of a new vice chancellor, workers hope that the Council will choose an academic that would guide the institution away from incessant crisis, reports ADEGUNLE OLUGBAMILA.
Who succeeds Prof John Oladapo Obafunwa as the Lagos State University (LASU) Vice Chancellor (VC)?
Obafunwa’s four-year tenure expired on October 31, amid jubilation by workers who considered him a poor administrator.
On Monday, workers celebrated Obafunwa’s exit with fanfare. They held Christian and Islamic prayers at the institution’s entrance. They sought divine intervention that never would any one in Obafunwa’s mould would be at the institution’s helm.
Ironically, Obafunwa’s predecessor, Prof Lateef Akanni Hussain also had a similar experience. Hussain’s exit was marked by jubilation by workers, who now see him as “better devil” than Obafunwa.
The workers hope that the Governing Council, headed by Professor Adebayo Ninalowo, would in appoint a good VC. Reason: Unlike the last two chairmen of council, Akin Kekere-Ekun and Olabode Agusto, Ninalowo is not a technocrat but an academic who is versed in the nuances of university administration. (Ninalowo is from the University of Lagos).
Besides the five internal members from LASU, the Council also has a professor from the University of Ibadan, a senior lecturer from the Obafemi Awolowo University, a retired registrar and a retired head of service.
Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has promised that government would not interfere in the selection of a VC. Ambode’s spokesperson Habib Aruna told our reporter on phone, on Tuesday, that Ambode would stand by his word.
“I can categorically tell you that the governor complies with the rule of law. There are laid down rules that guide the operation of LASU and he would want to respect and uphold that. He (Ambode) will not intervene in the process; he is disposed to the efficacy of the rule of law,” Aruna said.
Today, the Ninalowo-led Council will be meeting to appoint an Acting Vice Chancellor. If due process is followed, the lot may fall on Prof Fidelis Njokama, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Management), since the tenure of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics), Prof Senapon Bakre, has expired and he has not been replaced. Also a search team may also be constituted today to kick-start the process of screening candidates for VC job.
Chairman, Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU), LASU branch, Comrade Adekunle Idris, who spoke on behalf of the unions (Senior Staff Associaiton of Nigerian Universities, SSANU; Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Allied Institutions), under the umbrella of the Joint Action Committee (JAC), said workers were less concerned about who would become the VC; they are only interested in due process.
“For now, we are not being carried along (in the selection of the new VC); and we are actually not bothered about being carried along. As unions, we are concerned about due process from the selection of the search team. We have also requested that in line with good labour practice, the first three candidates that emerge should be allowed to address the congregation where we can also pass comments and do some ratings which will be taken into consideration by the search team. This will enable us to know how the candidate’s brain works at least from their body language. This time, we do not want to have an expert who knows nothing about human relations and emotional intelligence because this has been our problem in the past.”
When asked who the ideal VC should be, Idris said: “Our ideal VC should be a scholar of repute with wide experience within the academic community. We want a scholar that knows how the university runs and did not jump from Lecturer 1 to become a professor. He should have a Ph.D and understand human capital development. He should also have the fear of God. He should have not just academic papers but emotional intelligence which will make him understand that human beings are the most important asset in any organisation.”
Though workers have denied it, Obafunwa’s could not have become VC without their support. Obafunwa was once their darling before things went awry,
Speaking on ASUU’s behalf, Idris said at no point did Congress, which is the union’s highest decision-making body, endorse Obafunwa. He, however, admitted that there were some conspiracies within the past leadership of ASUU which helped Obafunwa to get the top job, adding that that could not have amounted to congress’ decision.
Before Obafunwa
Before Obafunwa, the institution was embroiled in a crisis in 2009, shortly after Hussain, his predecessor, secured a second term in office. The institution was shut for nearly a year because of the crisis. The de-accreditation of nine programmes and one faculty (Faculty of Law) by the National Universities Commission (NUC) led to Hussain’s removal.
Obafunwa, under Hussain’s administration, served two terms as the provost, LASU College of Medicine (LASUCOM), Ikeja, and he was applauded for transforming the college. Yet, he had issues with Hussain then. But being an ASUU member, who was regular at congresses, helped to galvanise support for him against what members saw as undue victimisation. This also provoked sentiments from other unions which were sympathetic to Obafunwa’s cause, and were ready to support him.
To ensure lasting peace, former Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola and the then Head of Service, Adesegun Ogunlewe, were said to have asked the workers what they wanted. Though they harped on due process, they reportedly gave certain conditions. One, they opposed any contender who had played a prominent role in Hussain’s administration; two, they were fiercely against an outsider. Their reason: He would be alien to the system and require precious time to learn how LASU is best administered. (Hussain, a physicist, was of the Faculty of Science, University of Ibadan before his appointment as LASU VC).
These two conditions, coupled with Obafunwa’s brilliant performance as LASUCOM provost, appeared to have worked in his favour. The first condition did not favour another internal candidate.
The second condition worked against a professor from a Texan university, Aderemi Oki, who also competed for the position with Hussain.
Investigation revealed that like Hussain, Obafunwa neither came first nor second during the screening, but was the only candidate who met the conditions as laid down by workers. Besides, he also seemed to have the support of certain influential individuals in government thus paving the way for his selection.
Obafunwa’s coming
Obafunwa’s emergence as VC appeared to have put a lid on the perennial agitations of workers, many of who saw the Forensic Pathologist as an insider who had not wined and dined with his predecessor. Expectations were high that his emergence would reduce tension in the university and heal wounds.
Obafunnwa made known his determination to fight corruption; and initiatied policies which some felt would transform his vision to reality.
Workers allegations against Obafunwa
But it did not take long before workers began to describe his leadership style as “too rigid” and his policies not labour-friendly. Workers also faulted some individuals promoted by his administration, describing some as not deserving of their new status, when there were qualified academics denied promotion because of the management’s ‘no vacancy; no promotion’ policy.
Workers were not also happy that Obafunwa supported the hike in tuition fee from N25,000 to between N190,000 and N350,000 by the former administration. They felt that as LASU’s CEO, Obafunwa should be in the best position to advise government to reduce the fees which by then had negatively affected student enrolment. As a result, departments like Fisheries, Yoruba, Islamic Religious Studies (IRS), Christian Religious Studies (CRS) and others, under the Faculty of Education, had few or no students, rendering teachers and non-teaching staff in the departments redundant. But Obafunwa and his lieutenants defended the fees, urging students who could not pay, to seek admission elsewhere.
The university remained cash-strapped under him. Obafunwa could not do much to improve the institution’s internally generated revenue (IGR). The situation worsened when Fashola, at the university’s 19th convocation last year, reversed the fees to N25,000. This made it difficult for the management to pay workers outstanding salary arrears.
Obafunwa made friends with students
Despite his travails, he appeared to have the students as friends. It is on record that, under his tenure, he organised three convocations, cleared result backlogs, particularly in the university’s External System. Under his tenure, the Students’ Union successfully conducted the first e-voting which was applauded by the state House of Assembly. He was also credited with sustaining his predecessor’s policies of conducting timely exam and uploading results within two weeks, among others.
But workers were not happy with him. On March 16, they forced Obafunwa out of the institution by pelting him with sachets of water. The development also disrupted the university’s 20th convocation. Since then, Obafunwa conducted the institution’s affairs from his personal office in LASUCOM until his tenure elapsed Saturday.
The contenders
Despite opposition, sources said Obafunwa reapplied for the top job before he withdrew following friend’s advice that some of the conditions in the advertorial calling for interested candidates to apply may not favour him. Also,Oki is said to be in the race alongside former Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof Bakre, as well as a former Dean, Faculty of Law, Prof Imran Smith.
Fate may eventually smile on Oki. As it is, workers may not be averse to an outsider as there is a feeling in certain quarters that an insider might be biased.
A source who simply identified himself as Ganiyu from SSANU said the choice of an outsider might be most ideal for LASU.
“Obafunwa, before leaving, created divisions and factions within the workforce. As things stand at present, those who are neutral are much fewer; it is either you are in Obafunwa’s camp or the opposition. So if any vice chancellor from within emerges and the person is from Obafunwa’s camp, he may want to take a pound of flesh from those who are his former bosses’ enemies. If the person is from opposition, he may want to deal with those who supported Obafunwa.”
Be it an insider or outsider, a worker who did not want her name mentioned said workers must ensure they are henceforth vigilant.
“We found ourselves in this mess because we are not vigilant. Many of us gave our support to Obafunwa because he also teamed up with the opposition to fight Hussain’s government. When he emerged, many were so happy because we felt as one of us, he would do our bidding,” she said.
NASU Chairman Comrade Albert Agosu said whoever emerges must learn from the past.
“Whoever is taking over from Obafunwa should learn one or two things from what we are doing today (referring to the celebration on Monday to mark Obafunwa’s exit). If you did well, the world will not forget you; and if you did bad, you will also have your record,” he said.
A member of the Governing Council, who pleaded not to be mentioned, blamed workers and the government for the crisis.”
The source said: “I see the whole scenario as “display of mere ego by government.
“Government told workers (during the crisis) that see, you are the one that wanted this man and we have given you. Now you come back to tell us that you no longer want him. But government would have none of that; as far they (government) are concerned, he (Obafunwa) must be allowed to finish his term without given considerations to all the allegations against the vice chancellor as presented by workers,” the source said.
