Lagos State University demotes professor

The Lagos State University‎, LASU, Ojo, has announced the demotion of a lecturer, Olatunji Abanikannda, from professor to a senior lecturer over alleged lack of requisite papers and journals. Mr. Abanikannda, a former Professor of Animal Breeding and Genetics, was the immediate past Director, LASU External System (part-time programme)‎.

In 2014, he contested for the post of the Deputy ‎Vice-Chancellor, but lost to Fidelis Njokanma.‎

The Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Olanrewaju Fagbohun, however, confirmed the demotion in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.

Mr. Fagbohun said the demotion of the lecturer was a decision taken by the governing council, adding that the university management had implemented it.

The university’s governing council decision followed a petition against the lecturer by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ‎ASUU, LASU chapter.

The union had petitioned the governing council, headed by Adebayo Ninolowo, alleging that the former Vice-Chancellor, John Obafunwa, promoted the lecturer without due process.

A five-member panel‎ was consequently set up to investigate the allegations levelled against the lecturer.

Some concerned members of staff of the ‎university had also lodged complaints that Mr. Abanikannda was not qualified to‎ be a professor, but was promoted by Mr. Obafunwa.

The panel, after several meetings and investigations, recommended the demotion of the lecturer.

It was gathered that the council also reprimanded the former vice-chancellor and the current ‎registrar, Akinwunmi Lewis, for taking certain decisions contrary to the laid down rules and regulations ‎of the university.