Gabriel Dike
Smarting from the clean bill given to the management of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) by the House of Representatives, the Senate of the institution has passed a vote of confidence on the Vice Chancellor, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe and his management team.
The vote of confidence on Prof Ogundipe and other principal officers of UNILAG were passed at a senate meeting, made up of professors, deans, provost, heads of departments and directors of academic units.
The confidence vote on the VC and other principal officers, is coming about one week after the lower chambers cleared Ogundipe and his management team of allegations by the Governing Council and confirmed that the VC is the chief account officer of UNILAG.
The House also warned the Dr. Wale Babalakin- led governing council not to meddle into the affairs of the management of the institution and that the council should focus on policy formation and how to generate funds for the university.
According to UNILAG Campus news, the senate deliberated on the strained relationship between the governing council and management culminating in the allegation of impropriety against the management of the university; it regrets that the avoidable development if unchecked will blight the noble efforts to improve the global ranking and advance the brand of the institution at this crucial time.
The highest policy-making organ on academic issues noted that the intervention of regulatory agencies and the House of Representatives committee on Public Procurement confirmed that the issues bordered on day-day administration of the university, finances, infrastructure maintenance, security and official travel are within the purview of the VC.
The senate resolved that the actions of the VC and principal officers of UNILAG were within their mandate as chief accounting officer and the management of the institution are line with the university autonomy.
The senate unanimously and unequivocally passed a vote of confidence on the leadership of the VC and his management team in their relentless pursuit of the vision and mission of the university.
The body further enjoined the VC and his team to engage in academic and administrative activities that will sustain the UNILAG brand to become one of the best in Africa by 2022.