University of Lagos crisis: Ogundipe discontinues suit against university following consultations with stakeholders

The embattled Vice-Chancellor’ of the University of Lagos, Prof Olawatoyin Ogundipe, has directed his  lawyers to file a notice of discontinuance of the suit following his removal, while the decision was the outcome of consultation with all stakeholders and his supporters in and outside the University/

Penpushing reports that, Ogundipe counsel, Ebunolu Adegboruwa confirmed this development on Friday disclosing that this has been done on August 21, 2020, explaining that, this was to defer to the authority of the President as the visitor of the University.

The counsel explained that Ogundipe has enough time to challenge his purported removal, adding that, “indeed, upon detailed consultation with all stakeholders and his supporters in and outside the University, Professor Ogundipe directed his lawyers to file a notice of discontinuance of the suit’.

‘And this has been done on August 21, 2020. “This is to defer to the authority of the President as the visitor of the University as Professor Ogundipe has enough time to challenge his purported removal”, he explained

Penpushing further reports that, the embattled Vice Chancellor had earlier through his counsel, Ebunolu Adegboruwa, in an ex parte application, at the Lagos Industrial Court urged the court to nullify and set aside the decision of the university’s council to remove him as vice-chancellor.

The Council of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) led by the Pro-Chancellor, Wale Babalakin had controversially sacked Ogundipe for alleged misappropriation, while it is on record that the duo (Ogundipe and Babalakin) have been embroiled in a leadership tussle for over a year.

Penpushing also reports that, the removal of Ogundipe about two weeks ago took a conflicting dimension, following his replacement by Prof Theophilus Soyombo who encountered stiff opposition from the university’s unions, alumni association and Senate.

The alumni association and university union posited that the removal of Ogundipe did not followed due process, while it is recalled that, joined in the earlier suit with reference number NICN/LA/D18/2020  dated August 14 include the university, the council, Senate, Pro-chancellor Wale Babalakin, registrar Oladejo Azeez, and Mr Soyombo.