LASU absolves Okebukola of age falsification claims

Authorities of the Lagos State University (LASU) have said that there is no ambiguity in the date of birth or the retirement status of its academic member and former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Peter Okebukola.

An online newspaper last Saturday claimed documents obtained from the institution indicated discrepancies in the don’s bio-data, thereby making his retirement status appear foggy.

But clearing the air via a statement signed by the coordinator, Centre for Information, Press and Public Relations, Mr. Ademola Adekoya, the school affirmed: “Professor Peter Okebukola joined the service of Lagos State University transferring his service from the then Oyo State College of Education, Ilesa, and the date of birth on his Record of Service forwarded to the university by his former employer is February 17, 1951.”

The university is bound to stand by that date because the Record of Service is the officially recognised record of his past service.“The affirmation of the date of birth of Professor Okebukola in the Record of Service forwarded to the university by the Oyo State College of Education, Ilesa confirmed the assertion by Okebukola that he was born on February 17, 1951.

“Based on the foregoing and in compliance with the law and subsisting Conditions of Service guiding senior members of staff of the university as at 2015, Professor Peter Okebukola was due for retirement on February 17, 2016, being the date he attained the age of 65 years. However, the Lagos State Government on January 5, 2016 promulgated a new law extending the retirement age of professors to 70 years, while other academic members of staff who are not of professorial cadre and non-teaching members of staff had their retirement age reviewed upwards to 65 years. (Section 42:1 a, b & c LASU Amended LAW, 2016).