The Pro-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Dr. Wale
Babalakin(SAN), has resigned following alleged disagreement with the Federal
Government on the Visitation Panel sent to the university.
He said there were too many vested interests in UNILAG
matter, who were not approaching the issues objectively.
But he said it has come to a stage he must stand by his
principles since the Federal Government believed the actions he took may not be
right.
He said the visitation panel was raised to exonerate the
Vice-Chancellor and implicate the Pro-Chancellor.
He said although he appeared in protest before the panel, he
made it clear that the panel could not determine the issues before it.
He said he will also not be available again to serve as the
chairman of the Federal Government Negotiation Team on the Agreement reached
with university unions in 2009.
He has been the chairman of the negotiating team since
January 6th, 2017.
He said he had served the university system in Nigeria with
his heart and intellect.
He said as Pro-Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri and
the University of Lagos, he did not receive sitting allowances and other perks
of office.
He said he did not allow the two institutions to provide him
with food or drinks.
He said he paid for every right or privilege that was
conferred on me.
Babalakin’s letter of resignation to the Minister of
Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu was dated September 15, 2020 but it was made
public barely a few hours after the submission of the report of the Visitation
Panel.
The same letter was copied President Muhammadu Buhari, who
is the Visitor to the university.
The letter reads in part: “I would like to thank the
President of the Federal of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari for giving me
the opportunity to serve as the Pro-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (the
“University”) from May 2017 till date.
“I am also grateful that I was considered fit to be the
Chairman of the Federal Government Negotiation Team on the Agreement reached
with university unions in 2009, from 6th January 2017 till date. I equally want
to thank you sir, for your role in recommending me to the President.
“Recent events have made my position in these two offices
untenable.
“I led the Governing Council of the University to remove the
Vice-Chancellor of the University from office for amongst other reasons:
(a)Corruption and financial recklessness; (b)Forgery; (c) Complicity in the
collapse of the University library and planned cover up; (d) Deliberate policy
of wrongfully concealing information; ( e) Depriving the Faculties in the University
of funds; (f)Concealing and distorting finances of the Internally Generating
Units of the University; (g)Undermining the academic process and seeking to
appoint a Professor by fiat; (h) Siphoning of the University’s funds through
dubious contract awards; (i)Undermining the office of the Registrar; (j)
Failure to follow due process in organizing the University’s convocation
ceremony; and (k)Sponsoring or acquiescing in the unconstitutional actions of
the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Lagos chapter.
“Sir, it is noteworthy that all the Federal Government
Representatives who are the independent members on the Governing Council voted
for the removal of the Vice-Chancellor.
“After calm had been restored in the University, the Visitor
acting within his powers, set up a Presidential Visitation Panel to review the
actions taken by Governing Council.
“The Vice-Chancellor (who had been removed from office) and
myself were told to recuse ourselves for the duration of the Visitation Panel.
“I find it difficult to understand how a non-executive
Chairman of a Governing Council could be requested to recuse himself during the
visitation
“The Vice-Chancellor could only recuse himself if he were
still in office. Implicit in this position is that the Vice-Chancellor was
acknowledged as still being in office despite his removal.”
Babalakin faulted the terms of reference of the committee,
which he claimed, were set to achieve a predetermined agenda.
He added: “The terms of reference of the Visitation Panel clearly indicated to any discerning person that the Visitation Panel was empanelled to exonerate the Vice-Chancellor and implicate the Pro-Chancellor. “For easy reference, the terms of reference of the Visitation Panel are:
- To review the report of the Council sub-committee on review of expenditure of the University of Lagos since May 2017 and make appropriate recommendations after affording all those indicted an opportunity to defend themselves;
- To examine the steps taken by the Council leading to the removal of the Vice Chancellor, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, and ascertain whether due process was followed as stipulated in the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Act, 2003, and the principle of fair hearing adhered to;
- To determine whether the process (if any) leading to the appointment of the acting Vice Chancellor for the University was consistent with the provisions of the enabling Act;
- To make appropriate recommendations including sanctions for all those found culpable by the special visitation team on the allegations contained in the report as well as other subsequent actions arising therefrom; and
- To make any other recommendations that will assist the government to take decisions that will ensure peaceful, stable and effective administration of the University.
“As stated earlier, the Vice-Chancellor was removed for various reasons and not just as a result of the findings contained in the Dagari Report. Items (b) and (c) were directed at the Pro-Chancellor and Governing Council.
“Unfortunately, those items deal with the interpretation of
the laws of the land. The appropriate forum to determine the laws of the land
is a court of law or a judicial tribunal. It cannot be determined by academics
of a different discipline no matter how distinguished. These terms of reference
are ultra-vires the Visitation Panel as constituted.”
Babalakin also alleged that the composition of the panel was
awkward.
He said he only appeared before the Panel in protest because
the panel could not determine the issues before it
He said: “The membership of the Visitation Panel is simply
inappropriate in the circumstance. How can a committee of Vice-Chancellors
determine the culpability or otherwise of the actions of a Pro-Chancellor and a
Governing Council?”
“On the face of it, it is simply wrong! Furthermore, the
Vice-Chancellors on the Panel were drawn from relatively smaller universities
who are not likely to have a comprehensive understanding of the procedure
contained in the University of Lagos Act (as amended).
“Even Vice-Chancellors of state universities were included.
As Chairman of the Federal Government Negotiation Team, I know the challenges
faced with the administration of state universities.
“I only appeared before the Panel out of my very great
respect for you, Sir. My training as a lawyer revealed to me very clearly, that
the Panel was inappropriate for the assignment.
“During my appearance, I made it very clear that I was
appearing in protest and the Panel, as constituted, could not determine the
issues before it. The active participation of the staff of the Ministry of
Education in the Panel and their contributions throughout the sittings
especially the hounding of witnesses who came to testify against the
Vice-Chancellor was enough to show very clearly that the technocrats in the
Ministry had a defined agenda.
“Their obvious agenda was to humiliate the Governing
Council. Sir, fortunately there is a verbatim recording of the proceedings of
the Visitation Panel, and you may wish to direct objective persons to listen to
the recording.
“I am particularly relieved by the comment of the Chancellor
of the University, His Royal Highness, Alhaji (Dr) Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Al
Amin El-Kanemi CFR on the situation in the University. In a letter dated 15th
September 2020 and addressed to your good self (which I was copied), His Royal
Highness stated thus:
“I have discovered that there are too many vested interests
in this matter, who are not approaching the issues objectively. For this
reason, I strongly advise that the Visitation Panel should not submit any
formal report to the Minister that may hinder my ability to deal with the
issues comprehensively”
“I have served the university system in Nigeria with my heart and intellect. Amongst other offices, I was:
- Pro-Chancellor, University of Maiduguri (2009 – 2013);
- Chairman, Council of Pro-Chancellors of all Federal Universities (2009 – 2013);
- Chairman, Federal Government Implementation Team of the 2009 Agreement (2009 – 2013);
- Chairman, Federal Government Negotiation Team of the 2009 Agreement (2017 till date);\
- Pro-Chancellor, University of Lagos (2017 till date).
“These were made possible by a system that provided
resources and also ensured proper monitoring of the resources.
“The educational system in Nigeria requires more funding but
most importantly, it requires prudent management of the limited resources.
“It was my determination to ensure that the limited
resources of the University of Lagos were properly utilized that motivated me
to lead the Governing Council to take the decisions which the Governing Council
took.”
Babalakin said he had served the university system in
Nigeria with my heart and intellect.
“In all these positions that I have held, I did not receive
any remuneration. Specifically:
“I did not receive any sitting allowance. I did not receive
any tickets or travel allowance.
I did not receive or use any official car.
In the University of Maiduguri and University of Lagos, I
did not allow the institutions to provide me with food or drinks. I paid for
every right or privilege that was conferred on me.
“Even when I travelled to the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) on behalf of the Federal
Government of Nigeria, I paid for my ticket and my expenses.
“I did not obtain any contract from the education sector in
my relative long sojourn in the sector.
“My motivation for my actions is that I had the best
education that an intellect could provide in Nigeria and abroad. It is my
fervent desire that every Nigerian should have the sort of opportunities I had.
“I remain very grateful to all the members of the Federal
Government team on the Governing Council of the University of Lagos, namely:
Alhaji Ali Hussein; Rev. Yomi Kasali; Dr. Bayo Adaralegbe; and Dr. Saminu
Dagari.
“It would be very difficult to find a group of more selfless
persons than these individuals. It is acutely hurtful that I am leaving before
achieving our goal of sanitizing the University of Lagos, and turning it to a
reference point in Africa and the world, rather than the unenviable poor
position it now occupies.
“Unfortunately, I must stand by principle. In a situation
where my employers believe that the actions I took may not be right, the
appropriate thing to do is bow out in honour. Sir, may the Almighty Allah
continue to bless you.
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
Now babalakin is cry foul. This is how it feel when someone act unjustly toward you. The VC is the chief executive officer of the university. He Runs the university on a daily basis. He only get approval on certain issues from the governing body. Not you coming to remove him singlehandedly bcoz you are the pro chancellor and chairman of the governing body. You have to setup a committee to enquire if those breech were true and make recommendation
ReplyDelete