Former Pro-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN), has refuted claims by the Federal Government that the institution’s Governing Council chaired by him was dissolved following crisis that led to the rescinded sacking of Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe.
He said there was an error as his resignation did not lead to the dissolving of the council.
According to him, an acting chairman had been elected to chair the affairs of the council.
Babalakin resigned his position in September, citing lack of objectivity in the handling of the Ogundipe matter.
READ ALSO: Babalakin Resigns As Unilag Pro-Chancellor
Revisiting the claims of a dissolved Council, Babalakin, in his letter dated November 16, 2020, reacted to a statement issued last Wednesday by the Director of Press and Public Relations in the Federal Ministry of Education, Ben Bem Goong.
He said, “Your office announced the dissolution of the Governing Council of the University of Lagos by a press release on Wednesday November 11 2020 among others.
“There is an obvious error in your press release. The Council that was dissolved could not have been the one chaired by Dr. B.O. Babalakin (SAN), as you erroneously stated in your press release since he had resigned his appointment on 17th September, 2020.
“This is at least two months before your press release was made. If there was any Council to be dissolved at all, it must have been the one chaired by Mr. John Momoh. Please update your records accordingly. Thank You.”
Goong had in the statement said, “Mr. President, after careful review of the report has approved all the recommendations of the panel. Accordingly, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe is hereby reinstated as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos.
“The Governing Council of the University of Lagos Chaired by Dr. B. O. Babalakin is hereby dissolved. Mr. President hopes these steps will bring peace, stability, focus and direction to the University.”
