The University of Lagos on Thursday dissociated itself from a media
publication calling on the public to save the university from sinking.
In a statement signed by its Principal Assistant Registrar (Communication), Mrs Taiwo Oloyede, the university said that the call was made by a group of persons who identified themselves as ‘concerned stakeholders’.
“The attention of the university has been drawn to a publication in one of the national dailies of June 26, with the signatories to the publication claiming to be representatives of the entire interest groups of the university, with members cutting across staff, parents, guardians, alumni, pensioners and others.
“It should be clearly stated here that there is no group, formal or informal of this university, that cut across the classes of persons mentioned in the publication.
“We are compelled to make this clarification because of the concerns expressed by well-meaning Nigerians and progressive minds, through several calls, emails and text messages, since the publication broke out,” it said.
According to the university, it is unlikely that members of the university community, as claimed by the said publication should still dwell on matters appropriately addressed by the university’s council, National Universities Commission, Federal Ministry of Education and Procurement Committee of the House of Representatives.
It said that the report of the intervention of appropriate authorities on the ‘so-called Unilag Crisis’, raised in the publication, was in the public domain and, as such, available to all stakeholders.
“In view of these, therefore, genuine stakeholders of Unilag and the general public are advised to disregard such information about the institution as contained in the publication.
“Unilag still remains the university of first choice and the nation’s pride, and no campaign of calumny can smear the hard-earned image of this great citadel of learning,” it said.
The university said that it would not relent in ensuring a peaceful environment to facilitate academic excellence and general development of the institution. (NAN)