By Fatima N. Lawee
The Governing Council of the University of Lagos, UNILAG, has ratified the election of Prof. Folasade Ogunsola as the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the institution, following her election by overwhelming members of the University’s Senate recently.
Decision to ratify Professor Ogunsola’s appointment was taken via a virtual meeting of the members of the Council presided over by Dr John Momoh as the Interim Chairman of the Council.
Subsequently, the Council has forwarded her name to the Visitor to the university, President Muhammadu Buhari, for approval.
The meeting was conducted ahead of the inauguration of a Visitation Panel inaugurated recently by the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, to probe the administration of the sacked Vice Chancellor, Professor Oluwatoyin Temitayo Ogundupe from 2017 to date.
Professor Ogunsola polled 135 votes to beat Professor Ben Oghojafor, who polled 31 votes at an emergency meeting of the Senate.
Ogunsola is a professor of Medical Microbiology and the first Child of a renowned academic, Professor Akin Mabogunje.
With her appointment, She became the first woman to head the 58-year-old University.
It would be recalled that the former Vice-Chancellor, Prof Toyin Ogundipe, and the Chairman of the Governing Council, Dr Wale Babalakin, SAN, were asked to step aside by the Federal Government following intractable differences between them that led to the Council removing Ogundipe from office.
Babalakin appointed Prof. Omololu Soyombo as the Acting VC, but the development further heightened tension on campus, leading to the government finally wielding the big axe.