The University of Lagos Alumni Association, Lagos State Branch, has reaffirmed its confidence in the leadership of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe FAS to keep attracting more developmental projects into the University.
According to a publication in a national tabloid on Tuesday, October 5, 2021 to dispel series of misinformation about the Vice-Chancellor and the University’s management, the old students’ body expressed grievous concerns over what it called sustained campaign of calumny against the person of Prof. Ogundipe and its possible impact on the image, brand and outputs of the University of Lagos as an institution of first choice and the Nation’s pride.
The UNILAG Lagos Alumni, led by Dr Benjamin Olowojebutu, placed on record that since November 2020 when the Visitor to the University, President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR intervened in the crisis that rocked the institution which led to the reinstatement of the Vice-Chancellor and dissolution of the immediate past Governing Council led by Dr Wale Babalakin, the University of Lagos has enjoyed what it called unprecedented normalcy, peaceful development and steady progress in all its spheres.
The move by President Buhari, according to the Old students’ body, put paid to the era of chaos, internal wrangling, schism and political gerrymandering just as it launched UNILAG into a new phase of progressive development with many successive feats already recorded.
The publication catalogued Prof. Ogundipe’s success stories from November 2020 when he was reinstated till date to include multimillion naira grants through multidisciplinary international research collaborations, one which brought about UNILAG’s recent rating by the Times’ Higher Education (T.H.E.) in the 501-600 bracket on the latest World Universities’ Ranking.
Asides the improved global ratings which UNILAG has enjoyed as well as the reckoning and testimonies of scholarships by both staff and students, the University of Lagos, according to the UNILAG Lagos Alumni, has recorded unprecedented breakthroughs especially in research and innovations with the Ambubag Ventilator developed by a team of faculty members remaining a master stroke.
The old students’ body also identified the N250,000,000 (Two hundred fifty million naira) Grant from the Bank of Industry (BOI) dedicated to support the university’s entrepreneurship and skill development efforts as well as several other infrastructural projects donated to UNILAG by private individuals and corporate organizations as evidences of Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe’s developmental strides and success stories in office.
While charging those fanning the embers of crisis to desist in the interest of the name and integrity of the University of Lagos, the UNILAG Lagos Alumni stressed the need for all stakeholders to always be conscious of the impact of their actions and inactions on the image of the university hence, they should pursue and protect peace in the institution.
The Dr Olowojebutu led UNILAG alumni body in Lagos also passed a vote of confidence on the university management, emphasised that it remains committed to whatever is best for all stakeholders of the university and renewed its appeal to the Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe led management to remain focused on protecting and sustaining the sanctity of the University of Lagos as a global brand since “no one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” Luke 9:22.
