President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the reinstatement of the suspended Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos State (UNILAG), Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe.

This development comes after the President approved the report of the Special Visitation Panel to UNILAG over the removal of Ogundipe.

Buhari has also dissolved the Governing Council of the UNILAG Chaired by Dr. B. O. Babalakin.

In a statement Issued by Ben-Bem Goong, Director of Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Education, on Wednesday, November 11, President Buhari stated that the removal of Ogundipe as the Vice Chancellor did not follow due process.

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The highlights of the findings and recommendations approved by President Mohamamadu Buhari are as follows:

"The removal of Professor Oluwatoyin T. Ogundipe as the Vice Chancellor did not follow due process.

"The Vice Chancellor was not granted an opportunity to defend himself on the allegations upon which his removal was based. He should accordingly be re-instated.

"All allegations made against the Vice Chancellor and the management of the University before and after the Constitution of the Special Visitation Panel should be referred to regular Visitation Panel for thorough investigation and necessary recommendations.

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"The process adopted by the Council in the appointment of Professor Omololu Soyombo as Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University was inconsistent with the provisions of the Law relating to the appointment of an Acting Vice-Chancellor.

"The Governing Council should be dissolved."

After 'careful' review of the report by the, the President approved all the recommendations of the panel as follows: 

"Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe is hereby reinstated as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos.

"The Governing Council of the University of Lagos Chaired by Dr. B. O. Babalakin is hereby dissolved.

Mr. President hopes these steps will bring peace, stability, focus and direction to the University."

The University Governing Council headed by Babalakin had sacked Ogundipe on August 12, 2020 during a meeting held at the National Universities Commission (NUC) building in Abuja.

The council, however, appointed Prof Theophilus Omololu Soyombo of the Faculty of Social Sciences as the Acting Vice Chancellor.

President Muhammadu Buhari had removed Prof. Theophilus Soyombo, the Acting Vice Chancellor appointed by Babalakin and installed Prof Folashade Ogunsola as the acting VC pending the report of visitation committee.