A group of lecturers at the Lagos State University, LASU, ‘The Liberators’ and members of the alumni association of the institution, have urged the Visitor to the University, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to allow merit to prevail in the selection of the ninth substantive Vice-Chancellor of the university.
The Liberators, in a memorandum to the Visitation Panel, set-up by the governor to look into certain things in the university, noted that anything short of selecting the next VC on merit would reverse the gains recorded in the university in the last few years.
The memorandum was signed by Professors Adeleke Fakoya, Biodun Akinpelu and Sola Fosudo, on behalf of other members of the group.
It reads: “The Liberators have been the voice of the new LASU in the last five years – beginning with the remarkable appointment of Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun, SAN, as Vice-Chancellor of LASU (2016- 2021).
“In those five years, we worked with the university management staff and students to ensure a hitch-free teaching and learning system.
“We also worked with many prominent people in the Lagos State Civil Service to procure support and understanding for the university that offers us and our children something more than the ordinary Nigerian university gives its staff and students: a sense of pride.
“This sense of pride is the product of communal love, institutional peace and administrative wisdom – three main ingredients that won for LASU all the accolades arising from very impressive local and global rating.
“Our advice is that the Lagos State Government should uphold the result of the interviews. This is the surest path to institutional growth as far as LASU is concerned, given the present set of circumstances,” the group stated.
Similarly, the LASU Alumni Association, in a statement by its National President and General Secretary, Maj. Gen. Cecil Esekhaigbe (retd) and Olawale Anthony, urged the governor to allow merit while selecting a new VC for the university.
The statement reads: “The Lagos State University Alumni, as the legitimate alumni body of the university and a concerned critical stakeholder, will not support or advocate for any candidate in particular.
“However, we are of the view that to sustain the institution’s lofty heights, there is a need to allow merit to prevail.
“We, hereby, use this medium to reassure our esteemed members across the globe, as well as well-wishers, that our confidence in the Visitor of the university, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to appoint the best candidate for the exalted position of the Vice-Chancellor of the institution.
“The selection should be based largely on merit and by the entrenched and statutory unwavering procedures, .”
