Professor Adebayo M.A. Ninalowo, the Pro-Chancellor/Chairman of Governing Council of the Lagos State University (LASU), was appointed to the office last year but Sahara Reporters has learnt, that he has used the position mainly for self-aggrandizement, including accruing properties to himself at the expense of the institution, and serving the interest of his family members and cronies.
Some of his colleagues who spoke to Saharareporters on the conduct of Mr. Ninalowo described a pattern of eschewing university rules and operating in “total secrecy.”
One of them said that the autocratic nature of the pro-chancellor has made other members of the Governing Council withdraw from council meetings. He added that even when they showed up for meetings, it was merely to “keep cool and watch the Pro-Chancellor dictate and impose his opinions on the Council.”
The pro-chancellor, who is also a senior lecturer at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), upon his appointment by the state government demanded an official car, a driver, and personal assistant. These privileges seem appropriate perks that come with being a pro-chancellor, except that Prof. Ninalowo had sought the opportunity as a meal ticket for himself and allies.
The professor of social conflicts insisted on employing one of his relatives as a personal assistant, rejecting qualified University secretaries deployed to his office by the university.
Our correspondent learned from sources in the university that although the Lagos state government provided the pro-chancellor with an SUV as his official vehicle, he pressured the LASU management to purchase a brand-new Toyota Camry car also as an official vehicle.
The Camry, which it was learned cost the university ten million naira, was purchased from one Alhaji Ganiu Ninalowo, sole owner of Messrs Fair-Way Motors Limited, who is suspected to be a relative of the pro-chancellor.
The source claimed that the university had to engage the service of Alhaji Ninalowo at the insistence of the pro-chancellor. He added that the university has its accredited car dealer, but the management was forced to look elsewhere to satisfy the professor.
He said that a similar scenario played out when the pro-chancellor also rejected the university-accredited insurance company for one Penguin Insurance Brokers, whose Executive officer, Alhaji Jamiu Adio Saka, was found to be a very close ally of the Pro-Chancellor.
Penguin Insurance Brokers, after collecting a premium of N400,000, later transferred the insurance to LASSACO Assurance Plc., a LASU-accredited insurance company, the source informed our correspondent.
He further stated that the professor Ninalowo rejected all recommended university dealers to either cover up the suspicion that the car might have been a used or pre-owned car foisted as a newly acquired automobile. Our source stated that the Lagos State government has since impounded the illicitly acquired car from Ninalowo and returned it to the University where it is currently parked.
Saharareporters also learned that one Mr. Adara-Ali currently serves as the Pro-Chancellor’s personal assistant, having rejected all the Senior Assistant Registrars sent to him in any official capacity. Our investigation found that the university structure does not even provide for the portfolio of a personal assistant. A source in the university told our correspondent that Prof. Ninalowo did not only create the new office for his cousin, he also put him on the same salary scale with those who have been in service for a minimum of 8 years.
SaharaReporters also found out that the pro-chancellor gets a monthly allowance of N103,767.33 for the services of non-existing driver and security guard. After receiving their salaries directly, the Pro-Chancellor would still force LASU to provide him with a driver and security whenever he needed them. Professor Ninalowo did not answer our call to him to hear his side of the allegations, dropping the phone from our correspondent upon hearing Saharareporters. He didn’t answer a repeat call at all.
