…Angry workers celebrate his exist, ask for acting VC
The tenure of Prof John Obafunwa, the embattled Vice Chancellor of the Lagos State University (LASU) ended today amidst jubilations by the angry staff of the institution.
Prof Obafunwa was appointed the 7th Vice Chancellor of LASU by the immediate past governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola on November 1, 2011.
Obafunwa who came third in the selection exercise was the choice of few LASU union leaders who ensured the governor picked him ahead of the first and second Professors.
The four staff unions began week-long activities to celebrate his exit which include prayer and fasting and would end with Independence Day and funfair on Monday, November 1.
Within a year, Prof Obafunwa experienced violent students protest in January 2013 and was rescued and smuggled out in disguise by the police to escape the wrath of the angry students over the closure of the registration portal.
His administration settled down after the protest and Obafunwa was able to hold two convocations uninterrupted but the third one was marred by a violent protest by the four staff unions over unmet demands and arrest of their members.
On November 2014, in what appeared to kick start his second term ambition, the VC rolled out the drum to celebrate 3rd year of his administration. But the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) faulted the achievements and credited some of it to the former VC, Prof Lateef Hussien.
According to the VC, on assumption of office, his administration set out and has continued to pursue without distraction, a strong mission on the LASU project, meant to reposition the university for excellence and re-package its academic programmes for the purpose of fulfilling the contemporary academic needs and challenges of the 21st Century and producing graduates that are employable and also as employers of labour.
In the 48-page document titled ‘’1095 days in office’’, the VC said his administration worked tirelessly at ensuring prompt response to students matters, scholarships and bursary, regular matriculation exercise for newly admitted students, staff and students identification cards, review of students handbook, LASUSU e-voting system, management interactive session with students while on accreditation, he disclosed that relevant bodies accredited its professional courses.
On establishment, resuscitation and repackaging of academic programmes, he said some rested courses were repacked which include, LASU External System, LASU Foundation, open and distance learning institute, pre-degree science programme, internal part-time programme.
Other achievements are staff promotion, prompt payment of salaries, production of 56 doctorate degrees, provision of loan to staff, payment of 17 months arrears of salary increment, resuscitation of TETFUND, renovation of staff quarters, robust welfare package, promotion of sports and recreational activities, improved internet services, beautification of LASU, hosting of Governor Fashola’s 2,200 days in office.
On March 16, 2015 Prof Obafunwa was chased out of the campus by the workers, he has not used his office till date. He has been operating from his personal office at the Lagos State University College of Medicine.
The two large banners were placed at the Main gate along the Badagry Expressway and the Iba Expressway of the university and every day the date is changed by an unknown person to reflect the number of days remaining for Prof Obafunwa’s tenure to end.
At a briefing as part of activities to mark his exit on Tuesday, the four staff unions appealed to the governing council to appoint an acting VC to replace Obafunwa whose tenure ended Saturday, October 31 to avert a vacuum in the administration of LASU.
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