First off, I say happy birthday to Prof Folasade Ogunsola, whose 64th birthday was two days ago, November 14. On November 11, 2022, she became first female Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos as the curtains were drawn on the colourful five-year tenure of populist Pastor-Prof Oluwatoyin “Odogwu” Ogundipe.
It was also a fitting end to the eighth-month strike that the Academic Staff Union of Universities dragged with (an almost unyielding) Federal Government that seemed to have enjoyed having the poor students and their parents bearing the brunt.
She followed in the footsteps of two Unilag female lecturers, namely, Prof Grace Alele-Williams, the mathematician who left the Faculty of Education to become the Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin and the law professor, Jadesola Akande, who became first female Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University.
Prof Ogunsola, wife of Mr Segun “Segee” Ogunsola, is Unilag’s 13th vice chancellor and the first and only female vice chancellor in the history of all the nation’s first-generation universities that include the University of Ibadan, University of Nigeria, Obafemi Awolowo Univeristy, University of Lagos, Ahmadu Bello University, and Bayero University Kano. The University of Benin was established in 1970 after the Nigerian Civil War.
Incidentally, the current vice chancellors of Uniben and LASU, Prof Lillian Salami, and Prof Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello respectively are the second females to be the vice chancellor of their institutions, that should be regarded as gender-sensitive academic communities.
Ogunsola comes from the best stock of Nigerians. Her dad was Akin Mabogunje, Nigeria’s first Professor of Geography, and first African Head of Department of Geography, University of Ibadan. He died in August 2022 and was a native of Ijebu Ode. He was first African President of International Geographical Union, and the first African elected as Foreign Associate of American National Academy of Sciences.
Her mother is Titilola Mabogunje. She is a retired judge of Federal Court of Appeal. There are rumours that one of her siblings was an operative of Department of State Services. So anyone who messes with this vice chancellor will be spooked out real quick. That’s a joke please.
The Ijebu of Ogun State may rub it in by boasting that Ogunsola is the third Ijebu to become Unilag’s vice chancellor: She and Prof Jelili Omotota are from Ijebu Ode while her fellow Ife graduate, Prof Ogundipe, who she succeeded, is from Ijebu Remo.
The Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba S.K. Adetona, and Akarigbo and Paramount Ruler of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, should be in joyous mood over this good fortune of the Ijebu.
Ogunsola was elected vice chancellor by the University of Lagos Senate, with 135 out of 167 votes. Her closest contender scored 31 votes. That overwhelming majority indicated that she was truly a choice of the university community.
Following is the rigorous route she must have passed to emerge as vice chancellor: The university council must have forwarded a list of candidates shortlisted for the position of vice chancellor to a Search Team whose members include a member of council, who is not in the Senate, as chairman.
Other members of the Search Team, with the power to add qualified candidates to the shortlist, are two Senate members, who are not in the council, one of whom shall be a professor; and two members of the congregation, who are not in council, and one of whom must be a professor.
Subsequently a Joint Council and Senate Selection Board, made up of the university’s Pro Chancellor as chairman; two council members who are not in the Senate; two professors who are Senate members, but are not members of the Search Team, shall present the names of three finalists to the council.
The council shall select one of the finalists as vice chancellor and forward his or her name to the Visitor, who is President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for his information and announcement of the appointment only.
To establish the autonomy of federal universities in the eye of the law, The Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act provides that “the governing council of a university shall be free in the discharge of its functions and exercise of its powers, and perform its functions without external interference or influence.”
Before berthing in the world of academics, Ogunsola obtained a Bachelor of Science in Medical Microbiology from the then University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University. She obtained MSc and PhD also in Medical Microbiology from College of Medicine, University of Lagos and University of Wales, Cardiff, respectively.
To demonstrate readiness for the job, Ogunsola held a maiden meeting with deans, directors and heads of teaching and non-teaching units at the Unilag Senate Chambers immediately after she assumed office.
As a team player who worked closely with Prof Ogundipe, she announced, “We will consolidate on the foundations that (we) have built, and we will forge new paths for the University of Lagos…
“We have been blessed with very great vice chancellors, who have dutifully built on the success of their predecessors (to provide critical manpower for Nigeria). That is exactly what I am going to do.”
She then proceeded to make a promise, saying, “My vision is to build the most innovative and entrepreneurial university in Africa that ranks among the best 200 in the world with distinctive local impacts.
“I envision a work system that is synchronised, where all units and departments of the university will work in seamless harmony to deliver on the vision of the institution. What we want is an environment that nurtures enquiring minds who challenge the status quo.”
This is not too much of an aspiration. It’s actually in the ballpark of what universities should be doing if we have an inspiring government that provides, not just funding, but also the needed leadership.
