Students React over Sanwo-Olu's Appointment of New Vice Chancellor 

• Congratulate the New VC
• Commend the works of the Acting Vice Chancellor
• Condemn Imposition by Sanwo-Olu
• SRC Speaker warns of Crisis 

Safiu Kehinde

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has, earlier last week, approved the appointment of Professor Olumuyiwa Odusanya as the pioneer Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University of Science and Technology, while returning the Acting Vice Chancellor, Dr. Oluremi Nurudeen Olaleye, as the Rector for the remaining three and half years of his tenure.

This appeared to be one of the least expected changes to occur soon since the transition of the Institution as most students were surprised about the sudden development.

While some still remain oblivious of the appointment others have braced themselves up for the new change.

For Olasupo Adegbola, a final year Accountancy student, the appointment of the new VC is unquestionable as the Institution is State-owned and as such, the State government has the liberty to decide on what they consider best for the Institution- though he was displeased with the development as he urged the governor to ensure transparency in future appointments.

“Well, I think the state governor have all the right to appoint to office  any person he consider should be. The school is a state-owned institution and it's not exempted from the control of Mr. Governor. When I read the news of Professor Olumuyiwa Odusanya being appointed as the new VC for the school, I was not really happy just like many other students in the school. This is  mainly bause we have an acting VC who have been doing exceptionally well. Within a year when he rose to the status of Acting VC, his impact has been felt by every students in the school. At our end, we can testify to his aptness. His office is accessible to all and he responds to our call from time to time. We didn't expect any external at this time except Dr Nurudeen Olaleye. But all the same, the governor have done well by asking him to complete his tenure being the Acting VC and we know his time will come again soon. He's young and capable.

“We love this school and we would love the governor to ensure transparency and fairness in the  appointment of VC in the subsequent years.” He said.

Also commending the effort of the former Acting Vice Chancellor was NULASS Speaker (LASUSTECH Chapter), Rt. Hon. Issa Quozeem 

“Firstly, it is a great achievement that our great institution was switched from Lagos State Polytechnic to Lagos State University  of Science and Technology. At least it is a privilege we are opportune to know when this was invented because  it is actually part of the story. But unfortunately, we won’t be benefiting from it.

“The current AC vice Chancellor of this institution is the true definition of a leader because his door is always open for any students that actually need him one way or the other. The name we should always call him is baba for the students because the interest of the students will always be his priority.” He said.

Meanwhile, another finalist from Accountancy Department, Adeoye Ibrahim, congratulated the new Vice Chancellor over his appointment while wishing him a successful tenure.

I don’t have much to say I will like to congratulate Prof. Olusanya, the new Vice Chancellor. May God help him run the administration.” He said.

On the contrary, Omotosho Divine, a year one HMT student, was of the view that the appointment is not needed for now- though admitted to the fact that the new VC is qualified for the position.

“Does Lasustech need a vice chancellor now? Do we really need that for now after becoming university? What happened to those who were their before?  Is the state government saying the people that are there before are incompetent to lead a university? Please don’t let us deceive ourselves this is pure politics here. Putting him their doesn’t change the fact that the board of trustees or the governing council won’t still control the Institution. What we need now is plan that will make Lasustech move as a university or else we will fail like some others that were given the chance but never live up to expectations. I don’t have issues with the newly appointed Vice Chancellor. In fact, he is loaded but the basic is that Lasustech doesn’t need him.” Omotosho said.

In the same vein, the Students Union Government’s Speaker, Rt. Hon. Asekun Elijah, frowned against the appointment, stressing that such decision can result to conflict within the Institution.

“It won’t really make sense on the part of our government if we will be having two masters in a ship. There is no way the ship will not sink. When you say somebody should go and serve as Rector for three and half years, to which students and which staffs? Which staff will be subjected to his office being a rector? And as someone who has been the Acting Vice Chancellor if the Institution, he has laboured and underwent stress during the transmutation of the Polytechnic into University. It won’t speak well of us. What will become of us when  we become graduates and get out there? If our own in-house person cannot stand a chance to rule the institution with the state government imposing somebody on us, I don’t think that is realistic enough- not even in this period.” He said

Asekun further questioned the state government for imposing an outsider on the institution which has been crisis-free over time.

He expressed concern over the welfarism of students while imploring the government to give the Acting Vice Chancellor a chance.

“At this stage whereby the transmutation process is still ongoing, what will be the fate of our students?  From the angle of the Students Union, we are looking at the conduciveness of our students because by the time we begin to have two masters in a boat, a lot will begin to happen. The shift of power and power tussle might come up. All these will dawn on the welfarism of the students. So we implore the state government to look into this issue. It shouldn’t be at this time we will be having this problem.

“We as students have been peaceful enough all this while, trying to have a perfect moment on campus without any issue. If by now the State government is trying to create problem within the institution for us, it won’t be a good thing to start with – not even this moment we are looking up to the 2023 election. Things like this shouldn’t occur.

“I could remember vividly when the NUC said we can use any of our own person as the VC of the University. So why is it this moment the state government is imposing somebody on us? What happens to our qualifications? Are you saying we are not qualified? What happens to the results we present out there? These are the things  we want the state government to look into. As for me, it is not a good idea at the moment. Somebody who understands the system and has ruled the Institution should be given a chance to continue- at least till we have the first set of graduants from the University system. This is an imploration to the state government to review the matter.” Asekun said.

Meanwhile, the Speaker lauded the achievements of the current Acting Vice Chancellor across all sectors of the Institution, stressing on the need for the state government to review their decision.

“Looking at the achievements of the current Acting Vice Chancellor, he has achieved a lot that even someone who has being a Rector before cannot boast of. Look at the whole process in various campuses in terms of security, students’ welfarism, and infrastructural facilities. This man has done wonderfully well. He should be given a chance to rule because it won’t speak well of us having somebody imposed on us into the system. It will never work. We are imploring them to revisit and review this issue in order not to cause conflict that will not be resolved easily.” He added.

However, a HND1 Electrical Engineering student (name withheld), condemned the whole transmutation process, describing the development as underserved.

“I really don’t have much to say about that rather than Laspotech is not worthy of becoming a university. Laspotech is an advance secondary school.  People who did their ND there won’t really know much about the school not being worthy of being a poly least to talk  of being a univeristy. I believe this  school and changing it to university is just done just to generate money and not because it worth it.

“In conclusion, I really don’t  have interest on how the school is being run or if a new Vice Chancellor is appointed. Plus lots of student doesn’t even know what’s actually going on in the school despite being a student, because information doesn’t circulate in the school which makes most of us ignorant of what’s going on. Even the new Vice Chancellor, I am so ashamed to tell you that I don’t know his name nor what he looks like and trust me I wont be the only one.” He said