Lagos State University (LASU) Vice Chancellor, Professor Oladapo Obafunwa, narrowly escaped mob action from members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) at the recent 19th convocation.
Obafunwa (in red robe) surrounded by security agents.
SSANU members, carrying anti-Obafunwa placards, were protesting the non payment of their June and July salaries in front of parents and guests who attended the ceremony.
When Obafunwa arrived at 10.10am, the anger of the staff got to a boiling point as they verbally assaulted him. He would have been mobbed but for the heavy presence of mobile policemen and State Security Service (SSS) guards who formed a ring around him.
It was a surprise to parents and guests who watched the drama in awe.
But Obafunwa seemed prepared for such confrontation, as he came to the venue with fierce looking armed guards and ward off attack from students, cult groups or staff.
One of the protesters, Kabir Ola, said: “We deliberately wanted to embarrass him because we knew many parents and guests would be here. The man is stubborn and I can tell you he is the worst vice chancellor we have had in this school.”
Many current students of LASU are also not happy with the school for the lack of facilities, and old ones have a grudge against it for failing to release their results and certificates.
In June this year, the students protested when fees were raised from the base N25,000 to between N193,750 and N345,000 per session.
The government slashed the fees by between 34 per cent and 60 per cent on June 12, but the students stood their ground that the original fees should remain.
On Thursday, August 7, a day after Obafunwa was nearly mobbed by the staff, the government capitulated by reversing the fees to the original N25,000.
Governor Babatude Fashola announced retention of the old fees at the convocation.
While the protest lasted, lecturers stood behind the students, saying the hike in fees was “arbitrary, unjust and ridiculous.”
LASU also has a bad reputation with old students who complain of its failure to issue certificates even to some who graduated over a decade ago.