Change in sight as Prof. John Obafunwa’s tenure ends on Oct 31st

A countdown banner is marking the imminent end of the tenure of Professor John Obafunwa as the Vice-Chancellor of the Lagos State University (LASU).

Obafunwa will relinquish the leadership of the state-owned University on 31st of October 2015, meaning he has only 38 days more in office.

The Vice Chancellor has a tumultuous time as head of the institution, with unending squabbles between him and the various workers’ unions; Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff of Universities (NASU).

The unions had accused him of inappropriate promotion of some staffs, victimization of its members, withdrawal of certificates of lecturers, abuse of due process by the university’s management.

In the ensuing struggle, the university lost peace, academic activities were severally halted and both staff and students suffered.

As Obafunwa’s tenure ends, some persons with unstated interest are marking his end with banners hung on the Badagry Expressway and Iba Gates of the institution.

Inscribed on the banners, which are changed daily, is: “Count Down!!! 38 days to go. The end of evil at sight.’’

Many will be quick to suspect the leadership of the LASU chapter of ASUU and other unions for the mysterious banners.

But the union, through its Chairman, Adekunle Idris, said on Wednesday that it has no connection with it.

“We know nothing about the banner; maybe it is the handiwork of some concerned LASU community members, who are looking forward for a change in LASU,’’ he said‎.

The Chairman of the school’s LASU, Saheed Oseni, also denied complicity.

“We just saw the banner at the two gates and on daily basis, we noticed that it was replaced.’’

While the source of the banner remains a mystery, the search is already on for Obafunwa’s replacement as announced by the university’s Governing Council.

In a bulletin issued recently, it called for applications which should be addressed to the Pro-Chancellor and submitted to the Registrar, not later than six weeks from the date of publication.

Information gathered that the position of a Vice Chancellor is for a ‎four-year duration, renewable for a second term.

Recently, the National President of the National Union of Lagos State Students (NULASS), Daniju Sultan, called on Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to resolve the crisis at LASU.