LASU faults report on age falsification by ex-NUC chief

The Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, has faulted a media report on the alleged falsification of age by a member of its academic staff, and former Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof Peter Okebukola.

The university said there was no ambiguity in the date of birth or retirement status of Prof Okebukola as contained in his record with the school.

This followed an online report, which claimed that the former NUC boss has multiple days of birth records with LASU and therefore, not fit as Chairman of governing council of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), to oversee the appointment of a new vice chancellor for NOUN, where he is allegedly scheming to impose his candidate.
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Coordinator, Centre for Information, Press and Public Relations of LASU, Mr. Ademola Adekoya, said the university, abides strictly with the rule of law, statutes and conditions of service guiding its operations.

He said Okebukola, who is the Director of Africa Centre of Excellence at LASU and Chairman, Governing Council of NOUN, joined the institution from the then Oyo State College of Education, Ilesa, and that the date of birth on his record of service forwarded to the university by his former employer is February 17, 1951.

“So, the university is bound to stand by that date because the record of service is the officially recognised record and also confirmation of Prof Okebukola’s assertion on his date of birth,” Adesanya said.

Adekoya added that the new law promulgated by the Lagos State government extending the retirement age of professors in academic circle to 70 changed the projection in Okebukola’s favour.

On the conferment of Distinguished Professor on Okebukola by the vice-chancellor, Prof Olanrewaju Fagbohun, the institution’s spokesman said no vice-chancellor of any university, including LASU has the unilateral power to confer on any individual the rank of a distinguished professor.

He said, “It was the university Senate, in exercise of its powers as provided for in section 9:2(f) LASU Law 2004 (as amended) that recommended to the Council, the conferment of the rank on Okebukola.

Adekoya said LASU and all members of the university community would not in anyway be derailed in their resolve to take the university to enviable position in global ranking.
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