Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has hailed the University of Lagos (UNILAG) for entrenching the culture of discipline and sustaining the school’s academic excellence.
The Governor particularly praised the university management for the recent disciplinary action taken against two erring academic staff indicted in a sex-for-mark scandal that rocked the school. He said the sanction would not only serve as a deterrent to members of the school that may have a similar tendency but also redeem the reputation of the university.
Sanwo-Olu spoke on Thursday when he received members of the Federal Government’s Visitation Panel for UNILAG who came on a courtesy call at the State House in Marina. The panel members were led by the chairman, Lt. Gen. Martin Luther Agwai (rtd).
The Governor said: “It is a thing of joy to see a reputable citadel of learning managing its affairs properly and sustaining the culture of academic excellence. The school has maintained high discipline, as seen in the media reports about two days ago where lecturers who want to bring down the image and name of the school.
“The management of the school has been firm in ensuring that nobody is above the law. These are parts of the commendable steps which the school management has taken to ensure the standards are sustained.”
Sanwo-Olu reiterated his administration’s commitment to raising standards of education and academic research in the State, pointing out that the State Government had committed more investment in the sector to provide infrastructure in schools.
The Governor said the State Government would fulfil its pledge to UNILAG on the construction of a standard jetty at the school waterfront, stressing that another infrastructure around the campus was being ramped up. He cited the ongoing reconstruction work on St. Finbar’s Road and Iwaya Road, and other adjoining areas around UNILAG.
This effort, Sanwo-Olu said, is to give members of the campus community a feel of the impact being made by the State Government.
The Governor added that the metropolitan fibre optic cables currently being rolled out across the State would help improve academic research in tertiary institutions.
Agwai described Sanwo-Olu as an “education-friendly Governor, acknowledging the strides attained by Lagos in the education sector.
He said the panel was raised by the Federal Government to carry out a full assessment of the administration of the school to know the challenges it is facing in delivering on its mandate.
He said: “We are also mandated to carry out an assessment on the resources available to the university and how they have been utilised. We are looking at the laws setting up the school and relationship of the university with statutory bodies and its host community.”
Two lecturers dismissed
The Governing Council of the University of Lagos, at its meeting on Monday, May 31, 2021, approved the immediate dismissal of Dr. Boniface Igbeneghu of the Department of European Languages and Integration Studies, Faculty of Arts and Dr. Samuel Omoniyi Oladipo of the Department of Economics, Faculty of Social Sciences, from the services of the University.
Council, at its meeting, considered the Report and findings of the Senate Committee set up to investigate allegations of sexual harassment levelled against them in a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) World Service Investigative Series titled AFRICA EYE (which centred on sexual harassment in tertiary institutions).
The Council consequently decided and approved that both Dr Boniface Igbeneghu and Dr Samuel Omoniyi Oladipo be dismissed from the services of the University for misconduct, with effect from Monday, May 31, 2021, in line with section 18 of the University of Lagos Act 1967.
Council further directed that the Management should review the Sexual harassment Policy as may be necessary and institute effective strategies to prevent future occurrence.
