Remo Growth and Development Foundation has faulted the removal of Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos.
Ogundipe’s kinsmen from Ogun State in a statement on Thursday, described his removal as tyrannical.
The statement co-signed by Wole Awe and Aare Kola Oyefeso on behalf of the association, said due process was not followed by the Governing Council of the institution in the removal of Prof. Ogundipe.
The group wondered how all procedures for the removal of a Vice chancellor could be ignored, with the Council resorting to self help.
The group said to do anything contrary to the laid down procedure is to bring the Country back to the arbitrariness of the dark era of Military Rule.
The statement reads in part: “We don’t and will never throw our weight behind any of our indigenes on the basis of sheer ethnic sentiment.
“We do so, because all our indigenes are under obligation to do us proud anywhere they found themselves. With such disposition, we wouldn’t allow any of our indigenes to be rubbished at the altar of impetuosity.
“We are therefore demanding nothing but due process as set out in the University’s regulations under an unbiased panel.
“For crying out loud the procedure for disengaging holder of such exalted position of the Vice Chancellors in Government Universities is clearly spelt out and for emphasis we culled the conditions to be met infra;
“Procedures for removal of Vice Chancellor are clearly spelt out in The University (Amendement) Acts 2003 as follows: ‘When the proposal for the removal of the Vice-Chancellor is made, the Council shall
“Constitute a joint committee of Council and Senate consisting of –
“Three members of the Council one of whom shall be the Chairman of the committee, and two members of the Senate,
“Provided that where the ground for removal is infirmity of the body or mind, the Council shall seek appropriate medical opinion.
“The Committee shall conduct investigation into the allegations made against the Vice-Chancellor and shall report its findings to the Council.
“The Council may where the allegations are proved remove the Vice-Chancellor or apply any other disciplinary action it may deem fit and notify the Visitor accordingly provided that a Vice- Chancellor who is removed shall have right of appeal to the Visitor.
“There shall be no sole administration in any Nigerian University.
“The purpose of the conditions stated supra is to strictly fullfill the principle of Audi Utream Partem otherwise known as Fair Hearing. This is a maxim initiated by God Himself, who gave Adam a hearing when the all-knowing Lord still asked Adam why he ate the forbidden fruit.
“To do anything contrary to the laid down procedure is to bring the Country back to the arbitrariness of the dark era of the Military Rule, which must be consigned to our ugly past.Ditto any act that is irrational, tyrannical and altogether draconian as the purported removal of Prof Ogundipe depicts.
“We may put authoritarian behaviors past Institutions that are headed by barely educated personalities, but certainly not the citadel of learning among which, University of Lagos ranks among the very best in Africa.
“Against the foregoing, we condemn this apparent subversion of set procedure on the subject in issue in the strongest term and to save the image of the Institution of Universities in Nigeria, we demand immediate reinstatement of the Vice Chancellor, while we are not averse to an investigation embracing neutral and fair panelists.
“Above all, we humbly call on the Federal Government to rise to the exigency of this situation, by ordering a return to status quo ante belum forthwith.”