Selection of next VC: LASU liberators insist the best must emerge

March 13, 2021
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.Confident That Sanwo-Olu Will Not Compromise On Excellence

As the Lagos State University (LASU) community and indeed all stakeholders of the now globally reputed African Centre of Excellence await the announcement of its 9th substantive vice-chancellor, a group of LASU-passionate professors known as the ‘The Liberators’ has broken its silence to advise the governor of Lagos State and Visitor to the university, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to allow only the best of the selected candidates to emerge without any influence whatsoever.

According to the group, it is only if the governor insists on doing the right thing by announcing whoever comes first and best among the selected candidates for the topmost office that the LASU community would be able to keep up its current enviable record of all-round industrial peace and academic excellence which it has enjoyed in the past five years and which has shot the university into global limelight of positive reckoning and by that, becoming the pride of the state.

The Liberators are made up of ASUU-LASU executives and a rare combination of professors whose intellectual and moral records have remained impeccable in their varied services spanning an average of three decades in the Ivory Tower.

Leading the crew of eggheads code-named The LASU Liberators, Prof. Adeleke Fakoya passionately appealed to Governor Sanwo-Olu that in selecting the next VC for the university, he should not succumb to any pressure from any quarter that might make him derail from the track of excellence and due process for which he is known and respected.

Fakoya cited a similar case wherein the governor honourably appointed the current rector of Lagos State Polytechnic who, indeed was the best among the selected candidates that contested the rectorship of the institution.

“We, the LASU Liberators, who have no vested interest in any candidate among the selected, insist that Mr. Governor should please, appoint whoever emerges tops in the selection drilling to become the next Vice-Chancellor of this university; no matter where the person comes from; so far the candidate has no criminal record or a history of recurrent sickness which, of course, would adversely affect his or her performance in office.

“LASU, in the past five years, has enjoyed an enviable height of positive rating in all ramifications and, in fact, has become well-positioned on the global map.

“We cannot, therefore, allow anything to bring us down from that enviable height. We on this platform (The Liberators) are to defend the integrity of LASU at any time.

“Nobody here (among The Liberators) has had any untoward record. No dent. No stain. Our goal is strictly the progress of LASU in all ramifications.

“The LASU Liberators are not interested in who becomes the next pilot but our concern is that the jet must not nose-dive. Rather, the lucky pilot must keep the jet soaring or at least, not lower the flight altitude.

“Our goal is to see that whoever comes in must be upright, honest, dependable and God-fearing.”; Prof. Fakoya insisted.

Lending his voice on behalf of ASUU- LASU, Dr. Ibrahim Bakare, Chairman of the branch, also supported Fakoya that Governor Sanwo-Olu, the Visitor should, in keeping his integrity for which he is well respected, appoint whoever must have emerged best among the three names submitted to him.

“We hope and pray that the governor will please, sustain the detached, honourable selection that led to the emergence of Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun in 2016 and as a result of which LASU is enjoying the current all-round high global rating.

“We just cannot allow LASU to go dwon again. We cannot accept a lower flight than our current level.

“Just about two days ago, we have been rated again as the Second Best in Nigeria; 8th in Africa and among the top 500 in the world.

“To me, we can even get much better, possibly as the best in Nigeria, at least among the best three in Africa and among the top ten globally. Anything that could derail us from this lofty goal is not acceptable to us.”; the academic comrade stated.

Meanwhile, the joint-selection committee headed by Prof Adebayo Ninalowo, the chairman of the Governing Council, had, on Thursday, completed its assignment and submitted a list of candidates adjudged to be most successful among the eight at the final interview held at Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM) to governor Sanwo- Olu who now has the exclusive reserve to pick the next person for the plum job on a hot seat.

Recall that the immediate past VC of the university, Prof. Olanrewaju Adigun Fagbohun was selected purely on merit as the best candidate in the rigorous selection process and was promptly announced by the then governor of the state and Visitor to LASU, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode.

The result of that integrity-guided appointment has brought unprecedented all-round progress to LASU, making the institution not only the envy of others in the country but also the pride of Lagos State.

Other members of the group who all spoke in the same direction are: Prof. Onafalujo Akin, Prof. Charles Asenime, Prof. Biodun Akinpelu, Dr. Olabode Segun, Dr. Kayode Oyende and Dr. Sylvester Idowu who is the Secretary ASUU-LASU.

And as Prof. Olanrewaju would always pray, “May the best emerge”. Goodluck to LASU.

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