The Ag. Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Theophilus Omololu Soyombo got a rousing welcome from workers of the University, mostly non-academic staff as he made a grand entry into the Senate building – the administrative head of the institution on Wednesday morning.
Addressing them from the foyer of the building, Soyombo pledged to prioritise their welfare.
He also called for their support, saying one person cannot do the job and that the institution was bigger than any one person.
He said: “These are indeed trying times for our great University and our prayer is that God will see us through this trying period.
“I want to thank all our unions and the members – NASU, SSANU, NAAT, and ASUU.
No matter what we say, we are all together and should all just work together and I believe that by the grace of God peace and stability will return to our University and we will all continue to work together in unity.
“We are all familiar with the current situation. On the 12th of August 2020, the Governing Council of the University of Lagos removed the former vice-chancellor and announced my appointment as the Ag. Vice-Chancellor of the University.
“This appointment was with immediate effect. And I saw it as a call to service to the University of Lagos. And it is in this regard that I accepted the appointment for the ultimate benefit of the University.
“I thought that we should not allow the ship of the University of Lagos to continue to drift. The University of Lagos is a foremost University; the University of Lagos is greater than any individual; anyone of us.
“We all come here to work and at our various times we pray that we all live till retirement. But whether we like it or not when we work in UNILAG, we will leave UNILAG. But the University of Lagos will continue. It behooves us to leave the university of Lagos better than we met it.”
He went on: “There is a lot of work in the University of Lagos but I can’t do it alone that is why I need your support that is why I need your prayers and I believe that we should all join hands together; let us work together for the progress of our University. When we have a success story it should be for each and every one of us.
“I want to tell on my immediate plans for the University of Lagos. My major focus will be on staff welfare.
“I believe in this regard the human resources are the core assets of any organisation and I believe that a well motivated staff to be able to deliver and work very hard. We must encourage our staff; we must motivate our staff to work well.”
