The Acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Theophilus Omololu Soyombo, formally stepped down on Saturday, 24 hours after the Federal
The Acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Theophilus Omololu Soyombo, formally stepped down on Saturday, 24 hours after the Federal Government mandated the institution’s Senate to nominate someone else for the position.
Soyombo, who was appointed by the suspended Pro-Chancellor/Chairman Governing Council of UNILAG, Dr. Wale Babalakin, penultimate week, said he was leaving with immediate effect.
Government, on Friday, set up a special visitation panel to probe the situation in the university which culminated in the August 12 sack of Vice Chancellor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe by Babalakin for alleged financial irregularities. Ogundipe and Babalakin were asked by government to step aside while the visitation panel carries out its assignment. Ogundipe’s sack precipitated a split in the university community, prompting government’s intervention.
Soyombo, in a statement on Saturday, said: “With this, I am stepping down with immediate effect as Acting Vice-Chancellor of the university. I wish to express my sincere appreciation to all members of staff and our dear students, the staff unions, alumni and the general public for their wonderful support and cooperation in the past 10 days since my appointment as Acting Vice-Chancellor of the university on 12th August. As I noted in my address to a cross-section of staff on 19th August, I accepted the offer to serve as a call to service, with the objective of restoring peace and stability in the university.”
He prayed that the “peace and stability that we so much need and desire at this time be restored very quickly, so that the University of Lagos can continue to march on as the University of First Choice and the Nation’s Pride.”
He urged staff and students to continue to go about their lawful activities in a peaceful manner.
