BREAKING: New UNILAG VC emerges Friday

THE 13th substantive Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, UNILAG, will emerge Friday, this week, the Pro-Chancellor/Chairman of the Governing Council, Senator Olanrewaju Tejuosho has disclosed.

The new VC will take over from Prof. Toyin Ogundipe, the 12th substantive VC, whose tenure ends next month.

Tejuosho stated this at the College of Medicine, UNILAG, Idi Araba in Lagos during the flag-off of activities to mark the 60th anniversary of the university.

He also disclosed that an endowment fund of $500 million would be launched to raise funds for the provision of new facilities and the upgrade of old ones in the university.

Findings by Vanguard showed that the Governing Council is expected to meet this week to interview those jostling to become the next VC and those that applied for the post of the Bursar of the university.

Tejuosho, who spoke on the need to get it right in the choice of a VC, promised that the process would be transparent.

He said: “As human beings, we may have our preferences but we pray that the choice of God, which will be the best for the university, will prevail. We have a peaceful university that is steadily making progress and we want the best for our university.

“My association with the university started in 1967 when I was enrolled at the University Staff School for my primary school education by my father. I believe that if the university secondary school had started when I was to start secondary education, I would have attended it and I did my medical education here. I won’t be part of anything that would tarnish the image of the university.”

On the endowment fund, Pro-Chancellor said: “Iconic structures are dilapidated and maintaining them is becoming a serious challenge. There is an urgent need for the expansion and modernisation of facilities. We can only go forward as we want to be among the best 100 universities in the world.”

Ogundipe, in his address, said the university could not celebrate the 50th anniversary in 2012 because the then VC, Prof. Adetokunbo Sofoluwe, died suddenly while the preparations were on.