The University of Lagos(UNILAG) Akoka, will on Friday, October 7, announce its new vice-chancellor, who will take over from the outgoing Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe.
Ogundipe, a Professor of Botany and the 12th vice-chancellor of the university will bow out of office in early November after the expiration of his five-year single tenure as the vice chancellor of the institution.
The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council and the university, Dr Olanrewaju Tejuosho, gave the revelation on Monday at an event to kick-start the 60th anniversary of the university held at the College of Medicine of the university at Idi- Araba.
He said the selection process is at the final stage and the new vice-chancellor will emerge and be made public on Friday.
He said the selection process is democratic and has been fair, thorough and transparent and that whoever emerges eventually is the choice of God Almighty and not that of man.
He, however, commended the outgoing vice-chancellor, particularly for his passion and commitment to the development of UNILAG within his five-year tenure in office.
He said UNILAG had done well in its tripartite mandates in the last 60 years of teaching, research and community engagements.
He, however, decried the ongoing nationwide industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU), saying the development has really taken a huge toll on university education in the country.
“So, I hope the crisis is resolved in no time for normalcy to return to all public university campuses including UNILAG,” he added.
In his welcome address, the outgoing vice-chancellor, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, said he is eternally grateful unto God for His steady help and support on the journey which remains 38 days to complete as the vice-chancellor of the university.
He said UNILAG had become a global brand not only in academics but also in research and innovations as well as community services.
He said even though the students and lecturers are not on the ground at the moment because of the ongoing ASUU strike, the 60th anniversary is continued and will run for one year.
He said there is nothing UNILAG can do to stop the strike since it is a national strike and concerns all federal universities.
He said UNILAG has a greater plan for the future, particularly for the two decades away when the university will clock 100 years.
In their separate remarks at the event, two of the pioneer sets of the institution, Professors Olakunle Iyanda and Laide Abass, shared their experiences back to their days as students and as members of academics in the university.
Prof Iyanda for example, who was admitted into the university in 1962 and later became the Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration said the entire student population at the time was only about 400 and that they really enjoyed their studentship.
He recalled how a 200-level student of Law of the university stabbed the second vice-chancellor of the university, Prof Saburi Biobaku during the senate procession after he delivered his acceptance speech as the vice-chancellor of the university.
He said the incident led to the first induced closure of the university.
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