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Tag: University of Lagos (UNILAG)

  • ‘Individuals, not judiciary, are on trial’

    Mr Wahab Shittu is a law teacher at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and a leading prosecutor for the Federal Government. In this interview with JOSEPH JIBUEZE, he speaks on resolving election disputes, eliminating technical justice, trial of judicial officers and the role of lawyers in tackling laundering of state funds.

    What is your assessment of the presidential and National Assembly elections?

    Now that the elections have taken place, my appeal to the political elite and Nigerians is to respect the outcome and shun violence. We need to grow our democracy by institutionalising a healthy political culture, resillience and maturity. Undoubtedly, there were some hitches here and there, arising from management problems. We really should not be talking of logistics challenges in our electoral process if we got the management right. My view is that other than administrative and policy issues, subsequent elections should address management and procedural issues by outsourcing the latter to competent private sector players with capacity to deliver effectively and efficiently. Finally, there is no way we can practice democracy if we are really not prepared to conduct ourselves as democrats.

    The elections were shifted by one week. What does it say INEC?

    The postponement of the elections few hours to the poll was a national embarrassment for which INEC has assumed full responsibility. lt is unhelpful to attribute the development to Mr President, APC, PDP or any of the political parties. My personal view is that INEC had sufficient time for preparations, including addressing whatever logistic challenges. The President’s claim that INEC was given all it requires has not been disputed. Why blame Mr President when he is not in charge of the conduct of the elections? I’m unable to also accept the theory of compromise by lNEC because l can vouch for the integrity of Professor Mahmoud Yakubu.

    Why did you say so?

    l had interacted closely with him in the past when he served as the Executive Secretary of Education Trust Fund. He was a prominent crown witness in a case l was prosecuting for EFCC and he discharged his responsibility to the state with candour, decorum, integrity and professionalism. l recall he was in the witness box for nearly three hours and all involved in the proceedings agreed he was a witness of truth. l was very impressed with his positive mental attitude and forthrightness in and outside the courtroom. lnspite of the postponement of the elections, my view is that INEC should be given the benefit of doubt. Our people should remain calm, and vote their conscience in the rescheduled polls. I’m positive that INEC will deliver a peaceful, credible, free, and fair polls to the satisfaction of Nigerians and the International community, I mean peaceful, credible, free, and fair polls.

    The governorship and  House of Assembly elections hold in two weeks. What are your expectations?

    My first take is to say that INEC and all those who are in charge of the electoral process must deliver on peaceful, free, fair and credible polls. The assumption is that the will of the people should prevail.

    What is expected of the Judiciary?

    The first note of caution I wish to respectfully sound to the judiciary is that the intervention of the judiciary to resolve disputes arising from elections anywhere in the world is an exception rather than the rule. Whenever the judiciary intervenes in the electoral process, it is a painful experience and so our judiciary must take congnisance of the fact that they cannot be substitute to the electorate. This implies that the judiciary must decide based on evidence supporting the predominance or the popular will of the people. The judiciary must ensure that in the resolution of whatever disputes that may arise from the elections, such resolution should be reached in a manner that will not promote anarchy. This implies that the highest standard of judicial integrity is required, having regard to the provisions of the Constitution, the Electoral Act; as well as the constitution of the various political parties and the guidelines for conduct of elections. There should not be any element of compromise.

    How can technical justice at the tribunals be avoided?

    This is part of the point that I was making; that the will of the majority of our people, who exercise their franchise ought not to be sacrificed on the altar of technical adjudication. As much as possible, our judges should be fair, having in mind that sovereignty in the democratic process belongs to the people. If the resolution of electoral disputes reflects the popular will, then the image of the judiciary, as an adjudicator, will be enhanced. If it does not reflect the popular will, then confidence in the justice delivery system is endangered. So, when judges adjudicate over the election cases they should put themselves in the position of the electorate and ensure substantial justice rather than reliance on technicalities. This way public confidence will be restored in the judiciary and the electoral process; anarchy will be forestalled and people will come out of every adjudication satisfied that the element of justice has been promoted.

    Election tribunal judges have been accused of corruption. How can this be addressed?

    Well, there is a growing concern in the judiciary that the phenomenon of supermarket justice should be eliminated and when accusations bordering on corruption are made with respect to the judiciary, I think we have to be very careful, so that we do not paint the entire judiciary with a general brush of corruption.

    I know that even though there are a few bad eggs in the judiciary, just like every other sector of the society, we still have judges, who are people of integrity, character, capacity and competence; and judges who are committed to the attainment of justice; judges who are jurists. There is a distinction between being a judge and being a jurist. Those judges and lawyers, who are committed to the attainment of justice in the resolution of cases are jurists, but those lawyers who are just interested in winning their cases not minding whether justice is attained in the process are not jurists. That is why some of us will counsel that it is better to be a jurist, whether you are functioning as a lawyer or a judge, because your preoccupation will be the attainment of justice. It is when adjudication leads to the attainment of justice that the society is strengthened and people’s expectations are satisfied. But when the justice delivery system does not deliver justice, people get discouraged; public confidence is shaken, the multiplier effect is that the image of the judiciary is endangered.

    What is expected of judges?

    So, our judges in the resolution of election disputes should be concerned about the element of justice. When justice is served, then people will be happy that what was denied them at the polls is given to them by the court. So, I expect our judges to be above board in the resolution of electoral disputes. I expect them to embrace integrity, character and the fear of God. That way, we will be promoting the fundamentals of democracy. Our judges must be conscious of the fact that whatever judgments they eventually they hand down will impact on the quality of governance and may or may not mar the democratic process. If they are guided by all these in addition to their judicial oath, everything will well. Again, I want to encourage judges who are going to be involved in the adjudication of electoral disputes to reminiscee on the golden era of the judiciary when we had the likes of Honourable Justices Oputa, Esho, Idigbe, Obaseki, Nnamani, Aguda, Mohammed Bello and Uwais. These were frontline judges who left a mark in the sands of time. Judges, who are to preside over these electoral disputes, must be conscious of their place in history.

    Allegations of corruption against judicial officers, as happened in Zamfara, are still rife. Are you worried about that?

    It shakes public confidence but I hope that the counsel making such a grievious allegation has sufficient materials to prove it, because reputation is involved. And since that very serious allegation is now in the public space, the anti-graft agencies must now take the bull by the horns to investigate thoroughly the veracity of the allegation and allow the law to take its course. When a counsel make such an allegation he can only be exculpated if the allegation is found to be true; otherwise, there are consequences for the lawyer who makes a grievous allegation. So, when you make an allegation it must be subjected to proof because reputation is at stake. Where you sound a false alarm, you must be ready to cope with the consequences. At the time if the allegation is true, I encourage that the law should take its course.

    What is the role of institutions in such instances?

    The issue should be taken up by the National Judicial Council and the Nigerian Bar Association. As a lawyer you are answerable to the disciplinary committee of the NBA in the discharge of your duty and as a judge, you are answerable to the NJC. So, I think people must be encouraged to take advantage of these disciplinary mechanisms. You cannot make any wild allegation; you cannot injure someone’s reputation without consequences. Where there is proof, authorities in charge of disciplinary measures must wade in. And apart from this, the law of the land also prescribed prosecution and to send to jail if found guilty.

    Do you see an end to election litigations in Nigeria?

    Once INEC is able to deliver on free, fair, credible and peaceful polls, of course, lawyers and judges will be out of business. A lawyer lives in the conscience of the people and for history. A good lawyer ought to be satisfied that there is sanity in the society; a good lawyer is not necessarily concerned about his pocket; a good lawyer is happy when there is order, when there is safety; when there is justice in the polity. But there are two categories of lawyers. There are lawyers who are equipped with the theory of change and there are those equipped with the theory of forestalling change. Those who belong to the former category are happy when law is deployed for social engineering to satisfy justice, equality and fairness. If there is a free, fair and credible poll, there will be minimal resort to litigation after elections. A good lawyer ought to be happy about that because lawyers, primarily, are supposed to be ministers in the temple of justice and should be concerned about order and good governance in the society.

    Should lawyers handling election petitions be concerned about the source of their payment?

    Deploying state funds to prosecute personal cases is an abuse of position; it is corruption. And I think a lawyer, who is rendering services, must not only be concerned about his fees, he must also be concerned about the colour of his fees and he could put in place safeguards. For instance, when payments are made for your services, you have to be interested in the origin of the money. If you are rendering personal services to a governor, and he indicates paying you from the government dedicated account, you are entitled to resist because you know that will be an illegal payment. What it calls for is integrity and professional responsibility.

    Do you see lawyers doing that?

    Beyond loyalty to your client, you owe far more loyalty to the society and to the temple of justice. As a lawyer, the duty you owe to the society and the temple of justice is far greater than the duty you owe to your client. I think we should not confuse the limits of these duties. If you elevate the duty you have to your client over and above the duty you owe to the administration of justice, then you will run into moral and ethical problems and then you will be betraying your calling as a lawyer. This, sadly, is what is pervasive in some quarters of our profession and all of us must rise as concerned stakeholders against falling ethical and moral standards, falling integrity and lack of professionalism, declining professional standards and the general rot in the society.

    Read also: Alleged fraud: EFCC says defendant wants plea bargain deal

    Why did you say so?

    There are lawyers and there are lawyers. Today when name of an element like the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi is mentioned, you can see the kind of public acclaim; this is largely because of what he stood for. So, you have a duty, as a lawyer, to ask yourself what kind of lawyer you want to be. Do you want to live for the society or you want to be remembered for having served your private pocket? History is watching and all of us must be very careful.

    The judiciary has been in the news for wrong reasons in recent times. What is your take?

    On a personal level, I feel very sad that this is happening to the judiciary. I don’t like it at all when a Senior Advocate of Nigeria or a judge is being arraigned. But I think there must be a caveat; no matter how big anybody is, the law is bigger and we must ask ourselves whether the trial of individuals amounts to the trial of the judiciary as an institution. There is a distinction and people must draw that distinction. When individuals are being tried for infractions, then everyone should answer his or her father’s name. I am not inclined to agree with those who contend that it is the judiciary that is on trial because of individuals who are alleged to have wronged the law.

    What is your take on the trial of suspended Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT)?

    We should be very careful not to desecrate the sacred institution called the judiciary. In an attempt to kill some rats you don’t burn down the entire building. And that is why beyond the trial of the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, I am also very worried about what impression it would create locally and internationally for a sitting Chief Justice of Nigeria to be in the dock. I think that is worrisome and I thought that if anything can be done to forestall such a possibility, it should be done by both sides to save the image of the judiciary, which is sacred, eternal and would outlive all of us.

  • ‘Onnoghen doesn’t have immunity from arrest’

    A lawyer and multilateral diplomat, Dr Babafemi Badejo, Wednesday backed the order by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) that Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen should be arrested.

    He said the 1999 Constitution does not give the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) immunity from arrest and prosecution.

    Badejo, a consultant to the African Union (AU) and a former University of Lagos (UNILAG) don, said the CCT was not bound to wait on the National Judicial Council (NJC).

    He said: “In spite of the crafty arguments of some SANs, the Nigerian Constitution is very clear.

    “Only the President, Vice-President, Governors and Deputy Governors have immunity while in office except they are first impeached and removed from office.

    “In effect, all other Nigerians, including the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria are subject to law. That is the rule of law.

    “So, it is a surprise and a shock that legal leaders who should give leadership are bent on using all subterfuge to further weaken the rule of law in Nigeria.

    “Hon. Justice Walter Onnoghen is not above the law. He knew very well that the normal procedure was for an arrest warrant to be issued against him when he refused to show up at the CCT.

    “The argument that a process was on at the NJC is irrelevant to the process that began at the CCT that was appealed against but the Court of appeal decided that the process should continue.

    Read Also: CCT orders IGP to arrest Onnoghen

    “A challenge to the jurisdiction of the CCT can never have the status of setting aside the need for the suspended Chief Justice to show up at the CCT and have the proper motions argue for the CCT Judge to decide whether he has jurisdiction or not.

    “To stay away as the suspended Chief Justice did is an unruly challenge to our laws as they stand today.

    “It is unnecessary to repeat that Justice Walter Onnoghen wants to drag the Judiciary totally in the mud in which he has enmeshed himself. That should not be allowed.

    “He should be brought before the CCT as he would have rightly ruled.  The process at the NJC should continue at its own pace.”

    Badejo, a former high ranking United Nations (UN) official, said if Chief Justice Onnoghen does not believe the CCT should continue with the case, he and his lawyers should canvass it before the CCT.

    “He cannot take the law into his own hands. We have no Queen or King in Nigeria. The CJN is subject to law.

    “Finally, we should all salute the Ebun Sofunde led 20 SANs who have stepped forward to say what is truthful and promise to push for needed reforms of our judicial system.

    “Their names will be written in gold when dispassionate efforts are undertaken on the Onnoghen saga.

    “We cannot hope for a sustainable country if our Judiciary remains as corrupt as we all know it is but continue to play the ostrich,” Badejo said.

     

  • Rape: Delay in trial of ex-UNILAG lecturer infuriates Judge

    Justice Josephine Oyefeso of an Ikeja High Court Thursday expressed displeasure over slow pace in the trial of a former lecturer of University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, Dr Afeez Baruwa, alleged to have raped an 18-year-old girl (names withheld)  seeking admission into the university.

    Justice Oyefeso expressed indignation when told at the resumed trial of Dr Baruwa that Mr Y. G Oshoala, the state counsel that would continue with the prosecution of the defendant was not in court and no reason was given for his absence.

    The development stalled the commencement of the criminal trial of Dr Baruwa.

    Baruwa was scheduled to open his defence Thursday a year after the prosecution had closed its case against the ex-UNILAG lecturer.

    Read Also: Court remands two varsity dropouts over alleged gang rape

    The judge who noted that the trial had experienced a number of setbacks occasioned by absence of counsel said she was not happy with the development as the defendant had arrived  the court as early as 9am with his defence team and was ready to give evidence.

    At about 2.10pm when the case was to commence, a state prosecutor, Mr O. A Azeez, informed the judge that Mr Y. G Oshoala, the lead Lagos State prosecutor, wanted to cross-examine Baruwa himself.

    He said Oshoala was the counsel most familiar with the facts of the case as he had been prosecuting the case since Baruwa was first arraigned over the alleged rape incident before the court.

    Azeez said Mr Oshoala left instructions that he wants to personally cross-examine the defendant,” Azeez said and asked for a short adjournment.

    Responding, counsel to the defendant,  Olanrewaju Ajanaku, said the lecturer is ready to give his defence whenever the state is ready.

    Ajanaku asked for assurance that trial would go on at the next adjourned date.

    Justice Josephine Oyefeso, expressed worry over the delay caused by the prosecution  and reluctantly granted the request for an adjournment.

    “Very reluctantly, I accept the proposal of the prosecution.

    “This case is adjourned till March 14 for trial,” the judge said.

    Before the prosecution closed its case against the former lecturer on January 23, last year, four prosecution witnesses had testified including the complainant, her father, a medical doctor and the Investigating Police Officer (IPO).

    Baruwa, a father of two and former part-time lecturer in the Department of Accounting in UNILAG, is facing a lone charge of rape.

    The prosecution alleged that the former lecturer raped the complainant at 9.25 a.m. on July 23, 2015 in Room 8 at the Faculty of Business Administration Annex building.

    The father of the survivor had sought Baruwa’s assistance to secure admission for his daughter into the institution.

    The alleged rape occurred when she was in his office to make arrangements for her admission into the university.

    The UNILAG authority has since disclaimed Dr Baruwa following the incident.

  • INEC registers 9.7 million new voters

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it registered 9.7 million new voters between April 27, 2017 and June 14.

    INEC chairman Prof Mahmood Yakubu stated this on Wednesday at the INEC Youth Votes Count Campus Outreach at the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

    The event was organized in collaboration with the European Union (EU) in commemoration of Europe Day 2018 and the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES).

    Mahmood, who delivered the keynote address, launched an INEC voter registration centre at the varsity as well as the Voter Education Volunteer Provramme (UNILAG) chapter.

    He said: “From the 27th of April last year till to the 14th of June this year, we registered 9.7 million new voters in Nigeria. The majority of them are young people. So, you have the power to change. There cannot be proper elections conducted in this country without young people…”

    He said the antidote to security challenges at polling centres is active participation by the electorate.

    According to Mahmood, ‘nobody will take a gun where they know they will be challenged but when people abandon polling units, it becomes easier for merchants of violence to disrupt the process.”

    The event also Head of EU delegation to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Ambassador Ketil Karlsen; Project Coordinator ECES, Rudolf Elbling; Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Lagos State, Sam Olumekun.

    Read Also: 80m voters ‘ll decide 2019 polls—INEC chair

    Nollywood actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde actor/comedians Bright Okpocha, alias Basketmouth, Ayo Makun alias AY, Helen Paul alias Tatafo led a panel of discussants at the event.

    Karlsen urged the youth to take advantage of their numerical strength and own the electoral system in Nigeria.

    He added: “What I would really like to assemble is the strongest partnership ever between the European Union and Nigeria and strongest partnership ever between the European Union and the youth of Nigeria.”

    Jalade-Ekeinde urged youths not to be afraid to “waste our votes” on the candidates of their choice.

    She said: “The point is not whether or not the candidate of your choice wins but the point is to put the numbers behind them to give them the needed confidence to try again. Come 2019, we should be ready to waste our votes even if it is just to make a point and disrupt the status.”

    Basketmouth, AY and Tatafo urged young adults to go beyond merely complaining but get their Permanent Voter Cards and exercise their franchise either by contesting for office or voting.

    UNILAG Vice Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, who spoke earlier urged the students to seize the opportunity provided by the event to “participate in the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise,” and collect their permanent voter cards.

    “This voter education campaign for students of tertiary institutions must be applauded,” Ogundipe added.

  • UNILAG sexual harassment : VC insists victim must show up

    Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, Vice – Chancellor, University of Lagos (UNILAG), says conclusive investigation into alleged sexual harassment against a lecturer may not be possible if the victim fails to show up.

    Ogundipe made the clarification in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the 6th Prof. Babatunde Sofoluwe Memorial Lectureon Tuesday in Lagos.

    Ogundipe said the the supposed victim must appear to help the fact-finding committee set up by the management, to carry out proper, balanced and fair investigation.

    “If the lady does not come out, how will the investigation be concluded.

    “You must not hear from one side alone;  you must hear from the two sides and balance the information you have gotten before taking decision and making recommendation”, Ogundipe said .

    He stressed that the university has a standing policy to address such issue and would not compromise the investigation in any way.

    According to him, the investigation committee consists of senior Professors who would not be intimidated by anybody.

    “We have our policy on ground concerning issues relating to the behavior of our students, lecturers to lecturers and lecturers to students and the policy on ground would be properly implemented .

    “When you talk about academic corruption, it is a global issue but the policies to address it too is also on ground .

    ” Anybody that is found culpable will be taken care of by the laid down policies”, he said.

    Also read; Kogi varsity students decry delayed results

    NAN reports that a former female student of English in the university had on May 23, released semi nude pictures of Prof. Segun Awonusi on the social media, accusing him of molesting female students of the department.

    The lady now identified as Joy Uwana graduated from the department in the 2015/2016 session after taking an extra semester.

    She had claimed that harassment of female students in the department was done with the knowledge of other lecturers who kept mute because of the “cult-like” nature of their operations.

    Probe into the allegation commenced on Saturday when the university management constituted a probe panel.

    The panel has already given those with useful information on the matter between June 11 and June 15, to forward it.

    However, the suspect, Awonusi, a former commissioner in Ogun State and one time Vice Chancellor of Tai Solarin University of Education, Igbesa, denied the allegation, dismissing it as cheap blackmail.

    According to him, the complainant had called him demanding payment of N400, 000 or she would release the nude pictures.

    He also claimed that the pictures were in his phone that was stolen.

  • UNILAG generates 2.5 tons of plastic waste daily, says official

    The University of Lagos ( UNILAG ) has appealed to Lagos residents to reduce the use of plastic to protect the environment from further degradation.

    The institution made the appeal at a walk for the environment to commemorate the 2018 World Environment Day ( WED ) on Tuesday in Lagos.

    The theme for this year’s celebration is “Beat Plastic Pollution’’, aims at encouraging global action against the use of plastic.
    Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, told the News men that the walk was to create awareness among students and members of staff of the institution to protect the environment.

    “Plastic pollution is one of the biggest environmental concerns facing us today and this has constituted a global problem,’’ he said.

    Ogundipe said that residents should be cautious about the use of plastics considering the topography of the state.

    “We are flagging off the occasion with a walk and we want to involve everyone because we all have roles to play in taking care of the environment,’’ he said.

    Mrs Sade Nubi, a Senior Environmental Engineer with the Department of Works and Physical Planning, said that the event involved a walk for the environment and a presentation on beating plastic pollution on campus.

    The presentation by Nubi revealed that UNILAG generates an average of 2.5 tons of plastic waste per day and a huge volume of 840 tons per year.

    Nubi said that the university had made progress in her recycling effort by being able to recycle an average of 10.4 tons of plastic per month.

    She noted the need to cut down on the volume of plastic generation on campus through the use of reuse plastic.

    Read Also: UNILAG to investigate sexual allegation against lecturer

    Nubi urged the staff and students to pledge to keep to the habit of refusing single use plastic in line with international global practice and this year’s world environment day: “Beat Plastic Pollution’’.

    “The earth’s potential is being threatened by poor disposal of plastic waste into the environment affecting the air, water and land.

    “Currently, the world generates an average of one million single use plastic per minute.

    “These mainly find their ways into the water bodies disintegrating to micro-plastic which are consumed by aquatic animals and ultimately kills them or are transferred into the food chain,’’ Nubi said.

    She added that some health issues like cancer and food poison have been traced to issues of micro-plastic consumed from fishes and sea foods.

    She urged everybody to think globally and act locally to ensure we beat plastic pollution through adherence to reuse plastic and creating alternative to single use plastic.

    NAN

  • God, not me, is the VC of UNILAG, says Ogundipe

    The Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos ( UNILAG ), Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe has said that God and not him, was in charge of the administration of the activities of the university.

    The VC made the statement on Sunday while delivering a sermon at the Redeem Christian Fellowship, University of Lagos Chapter at the Tolulope Odugbemi Hall of the University.

    University of Lagos ( UNILAG ), Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe

    Ogundipe, whose sermon centered on “You shall not be wasted” said God had been the one charting the course of UNILAG since he took over as the Vice Chancellor of the school.

    The Professor of Botany said he was only an instrument for God – and all he has been doing since he took over as the VC of the school has never been his own initiative but directives from God.

    Ogundipe, however, advised the students that for them not to have a wasted life they must always acknowledge God in all they do.

    “Wasted life could either be physical or psychological or in relation to a wasted time. But in proper perspective, when you don’t know God, you are living a wasted life.”

    “There are some people that there education is wasted. Whether you are a professor or a VC, if you don’t know God, your education is wasted.”

    The VC, who prophesied that the students’ lives shall not be wasted, charged the students to do away with company of friends that are living wasted lives.

    University of Lagos ( UNILAG ), Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe2

    Ogundipe succeeded Prof. Rahmon Bello to become the 12th Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos in November 2017. Until his appointment as the 12th Vice Chancellor of the University, Ogundipe was the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics and Research) of the university.

  • UNILAG convocation now May 8 – 11

    The postponed convocation ceremony of the University of Lagos ( UNILAG ) will now take place from May 8 to May 11, the Registrar, Dr Taiwo Ipaye, has said.

    Ipaye made the disclosure in an interview with our correspondent on Sunday in Lagos.

    A week-long convocation ceremony for the 2016/2017 academic session was earlier scheduled to begin on Feb. 19 but postponed as a result of strike by non academic workers.

    “The university management is happy to announce a new date for the convocation ceremony.

    “The schedule for the ceremony remains the same. The only additional thing is reception for retired professors, directors and registrars; it will take place on the last day, Friday, May 11, after Jumat prayers,” she said.

    According to the registrar, Gov. Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State will deliver the convocation lecture on May 8.

    “The lecture, with the theme: “Inclusion: The Path to a New Nation’’, previously scheduled for Feb. 19, would kick-start activities lined up for the ceremony,’’ she said.

    Ipaye said that an opening exhibition and the inauguration of the 12th Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, would, however, precede the lecture.

    According to her, the main convocation ceremony will be held in two sessions (morning and afternoon) each day from May 9 to May 11.

    The registrar said that award of first degrees, diplomas, certificates and the announcement of prize winners for graduating students of Faculties of Education and Social Sciences would take place in the morning of May 9.

    She said graduating students for the Faculties of Arts, Environmental Sciences and Sciences would be attended to in the afternoon of the same day.

    According to Ipaye, on May 10, award of first degrees, diplomas, certificates and announcement of prize winners for graduating students of the Faculties of Engineering, Law and Management Sciences will hold in the morning.

    She said that graduating students of the Faculties of Basic Medical Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Dental Sciences, Pharmacy and the Distance Learning Institute would be awarded first degrees, diplomas and certificates in the afternoon of the same day.

    Ipaye said that the ceremony would end on May 11 with congregation for the award of higher degrees of the School of Postgraduate Studies.

    She said that on the same day, the Best Researcher Award and conferment of the Distinguished and Emeritus Professors would also hold.

    NAN

  • UNILAG’s radio, TV: The road we travelled, by Ralph Akinfeleye

    Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye, the Chairman, Centre of Excellence in Multi-Media/Radio and Television,  University of Lagos (UNILAG), is a household name in the media industry. The former Head of Department of Mass Communication led the institution to acquire, first the  radio licence and then the television licence. In this interview with TAJUDEEN ADEBANJO, Prof. Akinfeleye revealed how the university fought to get the radio licence for over 20 years, the ‘politics’ that almost scuttled its bid to acquire the TV licence and how UNILAG became the first tertiary institution in Nigeria to obtain both licences. Excerpts: 

    How did the journey begin?

    I attended the University Of Missouri School Of Journalism, which is the first school of journalism in the world that awards Bachelor Degree in journalism. After my studies, I returned to Nigeria. Then I was appointed at the University of Lagos as the Director, Station Manager for UNILAG’s Linking FM.

    When I was employed, Prof. Okpobo was our Head of Department (HoD) and I told them that I didn’t see anything in broadcasting. The print was doing fine. We had a print shop, and I told him there was need for us to let our students understand the other side of journalism – that is, radio and television. So, I told him at that time that it was important that we do it very fast.

    Tell us how UNILAG got its radio licence?

    Immediately, we started the processing for the radio. After my intervention with Professor Okpobo, we were able to move up from ‘Nothingcasting’ to ‘Narrowcasting.’ Narrowcasting was within our office, and we were just playing with ourselves and that was not all right with me as a graduate of Missouri. That was when we now decided to go into broadcasting, and then we applied.

    The journey started with ‘Nothingcasting’ to ‘Narrowcasting’, and now to ‘Broadcasting’. You can see how we have moved. So, we are proud to have the licence. The then Minister of Information, Prince Tony Momoh,  and the then Director of Federal Radio Cooperation of Nigeria (FRCN), Dr. Christopher Kolade, supported us. He was coming here to teach part-time. Every succeeding government – military or civilian – said no, that they would not give any licence to any university to operate a radio station, and we also were unable to move because there was no national policy on broadcasting, especially in 1992 under the Ministry of Information. However, with the support of Prince Tony Momoh, all the heads both in the industry and the university were summoned to formulate a National Policy on Information and Communication.

    We were able to do that successfully and passed it to the government, and the government in their own wisdom in 1992 signed the deregulation policy. Deregulation policy was to stop the monopoly of the airways by the government; hitherto before 1992, the radio and television were run 100 percent by government, either the federal or the state level.

    In 1992, former Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida, signed the deregulation policy. That was what gave birth to AIT and also Radio UNILAG. How did we pursue it? Every government would say no, your university students would use it for aluta, they will not be able to manage it well.

    So, we kept on applying. In fact, some of my colleagues said to me, ‘Ralph’ you are wasting your time, this government, they will not give it to you. During Obasanjo’s first coming, we applied, they didn’t give it to us during the military then, but when he came back as a civilian president, we applied again. It took us over 20 years.

    In fact, our application preceded the establishment of the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC). Eventually in 2002, we were lucky to have the Director-General of the NBC, Danladi Bako, who was a graduate of this place (UNILAG); I taught him 1981 – 1982.

    I said, ‘Danladi help us’. So, one afternoon in 2002, Danladi just called me. He said, ‘Prof, Breaking news!’  I said, ‘What’s the breaking news?’ He said the President, Olusegun Obasanjo had just signed our licence. I asked how he did it. He said he (Obasanjo) called him for something else and that for Obasanjo, you have to read him like a book to know when he’s happy and when he’s not happy.

    So, that time, he told me that Obasanjo was in the best mood. After discussing with him, he came back and said to him, ‘Your Excellency, sir, this issue of UNILAG Radio has been here for a long time. You know, I’m not from the South and I think that we should do it sir.’

    Obasanjo told Danladi that if government gives approval to UNILAG Radio, they would use it to abuse him. But Danladi said, ‘No sir, they will not use it to abuse you sir. NBC has the machine. If they are doing anything against the government that is not professional, we don’t need to go to Akoka. We will just press one button and they will just go off the air.’

    Obasanjo said, ‘You have that. Bring it let me sign it.’ So, that was how Obasanjo signed our licence for Radio UNILAG.

    I quickly went to the Vice Chancellor. I told him, ‘Sir, breaking news! Our application has been signed by President Obasanjo’. The VC was very happy. He  asked what we needed to do. I said, ‘Looking at President Obasanjo, he fluctuates like the naira. He may change his mind tomorrow’. I said what we needed to do was to call a world press conference to address the press. So, he drafted the world press conference and luckily for us that time, Atoyebi, who was a former student of UNILAG, was the director-general of the FRCN. They had a mast that they were not using. So, I called him and said, ‘Please, can you give us this mast as part of your donations to our radio station? We have just gotten approval.’

    He said, ‘Yes sir. No problem.’ So, I wrote, and after thanking the Federal Government and President Obasanjo, I said in pursuance of the approval, the government had directed the FRCN to donate an equipment for us to start. So, we addressed the world press conference and then later on, we backed it up with a letter of appreciation to the President. The approval came 2002, but we needed also to get frequency. We didn’t get frequency until 2004, because they were telling us there was no spectrum in Lagos. We had to go through the National Communications Commission (NCC), and eventually we were given frequency. They gave us a frequency that was jamming another station. We lived with this for almost six months, but later on, they helped us to streamline it.

    During that period we were jamming other stations, we were so close to 103.5, 103.3 and 103.1; eventually they were able to separate us from that jam jam and we started our broadcasting in 2004. The radio was commissioned by Vice President Atiku Abubakar. He came to this campus to launch it. We then became the first campus station in Nigerian universities.

    What is of interest to us is that we have to thank the NBC. They could have said, ‘No, don’t give it to any university, they will abuse it’; but the NBC said they would be used to impact fully and for their practical. As a baby of the NBC, they helped us get started and we have been very successful to the extent that today at the last meeting we held, I formed the Association of Campus Radios in Nigeria (ACRN).

    UNILAG as a catalyst for campus radios in Nigeria?

    We met recently in Ibadan, and instead of UNILAG Radio alone, we had 50 radio stations in Nigerian universities, polytechnics and monotechnics and similar institutions, and they don’t have to wait for 25 years, as the road had been cleared for them. So, the NBC is the regulatory body, but they sometimes over- regulate. After approval was given, they told us to pay a licence fee of N10 million.

    We had to write Danladi that we are an educational station, and don’t have such money; kindly give us a waiver. Danladi also responded, and they gave us a waiver for N1 million for the renewal of our licence every five years, instead of N10 million.

    It is that N1 million that was approved for UNILAG that other universities are benefitting from. They didn’t know the history of how we were able to get that one. So, because we have been so successful, NBC has been happy about it.

    What motivated you to aspire for the television licence?

    When we got the radio licence, I said we needed to apply for the television licence. It was not easy, but I told the Vice Chancellor and he said that would be a good idea. But, in applying for television, it is capital intensive. I saw an advertisement in the paper by the World Bank. They were asking for the establishment of a centre of excellence where you can learn journalism in this country. I applied. They asked me to bring eight materials from the university: the charter – the Act establishing the University of Lagos; the audited report of the past three years and 10-year strategic plan. I was not sure whether the university would give me, so I ran to the VC, Professor Odugbemi. He was here in 2012 or there about. Before I left his office, he called the school’s bursar to tell him I was coming for something; so they released the documents.

    They gave me, and we supported it with our application together with my colleagues; Dr. Tayo Popoola was part of them with Dr. Okoye. We formulated the proposal and sent it to the World Bank. Eventually, by October 2013, they invited us to Abuja to make a presentation. They said we should work with some universities and polytechnics. We invited the University of Nigeria (UNN), Lagos State University (LASU), Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), and American University in Nigeria to work with us.

    Suddenly, they disappeared and we appeared in Abuja to meet them as our competitors. In fact, they called them before us, as UNILAG was the last to be called. UNILAG made its presentation before the World Bank. We were working with the Ministries of Information, Education, National Planning, Finance and National Universities Commission, and the World Bank. We made our presentation and they asked questions.

    After a long time, they just called us and said, ‘We are sorry, UNILAG did not make it!’

    And after that…

    (Cuts in) I have been working with the United Nations agencies. I spent my sabbatical at the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) as country communication specialist, and I have worked with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); so, I know the system. I know the linkage.

    We sent a letter to the headquarters of World Bank and the UN telling them that we applied for this project, and they told us we would get response in two weeks’ time and that now somebody called us from Abuja that we didn’t make it.

    What I want sent to me was the universities and polytechnics that got it and the ranking so that I would be able to report to my Vice Chancellor who had given me the material. You know, the white people are very nice. They just sent to me three assessors – the first assessor gave us 85, the second one gave us 84, our lowest mark was 82. They asked, ‘Who says UNILAG did not make it. We are surprised.’

    I quickly ran to the VC, telling him about the local politics and international politics. Eventually, we knew that we got it. Somebody now called me from Abuja and said I should come to Abuja, and when coming I should come alone. I told my colleagues, see this information, shall we go?

    I said I was not going to go alone. ‘I am going to go with the two of you. I’m not going to go at a time when they are going to be expecting us. We will go at a time they will not be expecting us’, I told them.

    We will just go to Abuja and phoned them that we are the UNILAG crew that we were going to be coming down in two days’ time, so, after few hours, we would knock and just go in. They said wow! That was a good strategy and they all agreed to that.

    On that Friday that we were going, the Federal Government dissolved the cabinet. There were now a new minister of information, new minister of budget and planning, new minister of works, new minister of education. They all came in so, we didn’t have to go to Abuja anymore. So, at the end of the day, the new minister had a meeting with the minister of education, who thought, why would it be UNILAG? The project will cost $5 million, a total of N5 billion, so, they said we should partner the University of Jos and NFI.

    I said were where they? Couldn’t they see when the advertisement was published in the papers? Why couldn’t they apply? I said I’m sorry I cannot work with them. Let them wait until there’s another chance. I told the VC that we were going to agree on the condition that we were not co-equal. The VC asked, ‘What do you mean by co-equal?’ I said if they give us four vehicles, I will give one to UNIJOS, and if there is a motorcycle, I will give it to NFI because NFI is not a university and not even up to our faculty, and the remaining four will be for UNILAG. If they give us 20 computers, I will give 17 to UNILAG, two to UNIJOS and one for NFI.

    After a period of time, I was told our licence had been approved. I quickly went to the VC to give him the news update. It was almost at the eve of his departure, as he was in a meeting with some professors. As I was about to leave him, he said no, and he told the professors that Mass Communication Department had done something new and they wanted to relay the news.

    He told them that our licence for UNILAG TV had been approved and that we were now on DStv. They started congratulating me, and I made calls to them to send us the letter of approval.

    How independent is radio UNILAG/TV from the university’s administration?

    That is a good question. Before Professor Rahman Bello came, there was a man…, I won’t mention the name, that wanted to carve an empire for himself. He saw the beauty of Mass Communication Department, and believing that the UNESCO had given us a standard, instead of coming here, he took them to the Senate block. But when Professor Bello came, I told them that we couldn’t be operating from the Senate Building because of the issue on ground. Radio UNILAG is not the work or the property of the VC or the administration, and they don’t intervene in the day-to-day running of our station.

    We have told them that radio/television is no  photocopy and they understand it. If they have information they wish to publish, we charge them, they pay us for it; if they have programmes,  we charge them. We are able to stabilise and make sure it is not part of the work of a VC. At our laboratory, we accommodate people from other related disciplines such as English, Creative Arts, Theatre Arts and Engineering. In case of any problem, engineering students would come and help us. We also have interns coming there for their industrial attachment from various universities.

    We have applied to NBC to let us take limited adverts, and they are asking what limited adverts are? They said why couldn’t we go to donors to get equipment and other items? I said well, donors have stopped donating; they then asked why couldn’t I ask students to put it as part of the school fees? I said if you add one kobo to school fees in this country, students would go on Aluta and I don’t have time for that. The reason they are scared is because there is a radio called Radio UNILAG in the University of Ghana, in Accra. They run their own station by subscription from tuition. What I am doing now is sports announcement, as far as we don’t call it advert. But normally, we don’t take commercials from political parties or religious groups and tobacco.

    If businesses come with adverts, would you accept?

    Yes; we cannot take all those big adverts, but we can take adverts or announcements, or if someone is trying to advertise condom, because we have a community, our target audience are students and youths. They need to understand that prevention is better than cure; so all those things related to our people, like Coca-Cola. We have to drink Coca-Cola so that they can sponsor a programme, and we have a programme we call ‘Matters Arising.’ We have that problem now; we would not have had that problem if we were to run commercials. So, they cannot report us to anybody because our licence is the same thing as their own. So, we can run commercials on the TV, but radio, we cannot. That means what radio cannot take now, the TV can take, and my plan is to eventually get another radio station, one would be commercial and the other non-commercial.

    How would you generate contents for the TV station?

    Very good question; I told you we have recruited about 15 TV people, some are from the industry, and they are here full-time, minus our students and volunteers. We have a content manager. For your information, as at last time, we have more than 200 edited contents. If we start broadcasting today, I have enough that would carry us 24/7. But, we are still producing. In fact, we run a documentary on so many things. As we are talking now, my crew is in a meeting with the VC, as he is paying a courtesy call on them and the department, which is part of our content. As you are aware, our content distribution will be 80 percent Nigeria, 15 percent Africa and 5 percent others. So, we are going to jealously follow that one.

    What would you be doing?

    Our programme? When you see our programme, it is unique because we want participants to participate in the first campus radio channel, in sports, on drama and so many things. We have a programme called the Private Hour, where we invite a professor who had a breakthrough in his or her discipline to come and tell us how the discovery was made. We have another programme called Research Evolution; it is directed by the director of academics and research, it deals with the management of research.

  • UNILAG VC appeals to protesting unions to embrace peace

    UNILAG VC appeals to protesting unions to embrace peace

    The Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos ( UNILAG ), Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, on Friday pleaded with striking workers in the institution to embrace peace, as appropriate authorities were addressing their agitation.

    The workers, under the aegis of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the institution, had embarked on a peaceful protest on campus, demanding the release of two of their members that were arrested by the Police on Feb. 15.

    Addressing the protesting workers, Ogundipe said he did not have a hand in the arrest.

    He described as unfortunate, instances where some persons were already indicting him as being solely responsible for the arrest.

    “Since the beginning of this strike, I have not had course to stop you from prosecuting your struggle.

    “It is your right to demand what rightfully is yours.

    “But at the same time, let us not destroy the structure, because this strike will come and go.

    “If we destroy the structure at this time of the strike, then when we come out of it, there will be no structure to fall back on.

    “The strike is a national one and not a local one, so it also behoves on us to think globally and act locally.

    “This will be for the benefit of all,’’ the VC said.

    In their response, the union leadership assured the vice-chancellor of their support for his administration.

    They said the struggle had nothing to do with him or his management team.

    Mr Sulaiman Lawal, Chairman of the National Association of Academic Technologists ( NAATs ), called for a better working relationship between members and management.

    He described as unfortunate, the various incidents that had been happening on the campus while the strike was on.

    “We are not happy about recent happenings on campus.

    “We need to tell ourselves the truth; many things have been unfolding and we are not happy with that,’’ Lawal said.

    Mr Kehinde Ajibade, Chairman of the Non-Academic Staff Union ( NASU ) of the institution, urged the Police to stop intimidating its members, as they were always carrying out their protest peacefully.

    According to Ajibade, members, though striking, are also mindful of the need to maintain law and order.

    “We are part of the system and we do not think we will want to do anything that will collapse it totally.

    “On the arrest of the members, we strongly believe that our vice-chancellor is not behind it.

    “When we contacted some key members of our unions, they all affirmed that the vice-chancellor is innocent about the arrest.”

    According to him, there is the need for peaceful coexistence in an effort to take the university to its desired height.

    He emphasised the need for constant dialogue between members and management, for a healthier working relationship.

    The unions, on Dec. 4, 2017, embarked on an indefinite strike.

    They are protesting non-implementation of the agreement they entered into with the Federal Government in 2009.

    The unions are also protesting the sharing formula of the N23 billion released by the Federal Government as part of the earned allowance for workers of Federal universities.

    NAN