The Senate of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, has elected the deputy vice-chancellor in charge of development services, Prof Folasade Ogunsola, as the institution’s acting vice-chancellor.
She is the first female to be so appointed in the history of the 58-year-old Ivory Tower.
Mrs. Ogunsola, a professor of medical microbiology and first child of Nigeria’s first professor of Geography, Akin Mabogunje, was also the first female provost of the university’s college of medicine, Idi-Araba.
She defeated her opponent and a deputy vice-chancellor in charge of management services, Ben Oghojafor, with a wide margin. She scored 135 votes against Oghojafor’s 31 among the senate members.
A total of 167 professors were accredited for voting while one vote was reportedly voided.
President Muhammadu Buhari, acting in his capacity as the institution’s visitor, had also set up a seven-member visitation panel to look into the crisis rocking the university.
In a statement issued on Friday to announce the president’s recommendations, the director of press at the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. Ben Goong, noted that the panel would be inaugurated by the minister, Adamu Adamu, on Wednesday.
Ahead of the panel’s inauguration, the senate was mandated “to immediately convene to nominate an acting vice-chancellor from amongst its members for confirmation by the governing council.”
In her acceptance speech, Mrs. Ogunsola, who doubles as the chairperson of Infections Control Africa Network, and member of the Lagos State COVID-19 task force, thanked the professors for entrusting her with what she described as a huge responsibility.
She was quoted as saying: “Electing me the acting vice-chancellor at such time the university is going through so much is a big task. But it is a task for all of us, and I appeal to you to help rewrite the story of this great university for good.”