By: Manoah Kikekon
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| LASUED |
OTTO-IJANIKIN, LAGOS — A deep-seated crisis is brewing at the Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), as staff members and whistleblowers raise the alarm over alleged systemic corruption, "promotion-for-cronies," and the victimization of senior academics. The institution, led by Vice-Chancellor Prof. Bidemi Balikis Lafiaji-Okuneye, is being accused of devolving into a state of "administrative lawlessness."
Internal reports suggest that while deserving veteran staff remain professionally stagnated, a select group of "loyalists" are being fast-tracked through salary grade levels in direct violation of established university statutes and the civil service rulebook.
The most shocking allegations involve the meteoric rise of individuals described as "stooges" of the management. Sources within the university, speaking on the condition of anonymity for fear of professional retribution, revealed instances of unprecedented grade-level jumps.
One specific case involves a staff member in the catering unit, reportedly transferred from Lagos State University (LASU), who was allegedly catapulted from Grade Level 3 to Level 13 in just three years a progression that typically takes decades of service, according to a report by SaharaReporters.
"We have individuals moving from Level 8 to 13 without mandatory Council approval or even official confirmation letters," a source disclosed. "These people are placed in strategic units like the Center for Diploma Studies to act as the 'eyes and ears' of the VC."
The disparity in treatment has created a toxic work environment. While the inner circle enjoys rapid advancement, the broader workforce is reportedly suffering from financial neglect.
SaharaReporters also highlighted: Arrears Owed: Staff promoted in 2023 are allegedly still waiting for nine months of promotion arrears. Frozen Career Paths: Academic staff due for elevation to the professorial cadre in 2024 and 2025 claim their applications are being deliberately suppressed.
Critics argue that the Governing Council, which is supposed to act as a check on executive power, has been effectively sidelined or compromised. There are growing whispers that council members are "cashing out" from the system, rendering them unable or unwilling to challenge the Vice-Chancellor’s decisions.
Efforts to resolve the crisis through official channels have reportedly proved futile. Staff members claim that appeals to the Lagos State Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Mr. Tolani Sule, have resulted in "pleas" rather than firm disciplinary actions. This has led to a perception among the workforce that the Ministry’s oversight has been entirely compromised.
"It is a display of gross incompetence," one senior staffer remarked. "In LASUED today, the Vice-Chancellor acts as the Management, the Council, and the Commissioner all in one."
With tensions at a breaking point, frustrated workers are now calling on the Visitor of the University, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to save the institution from imminent collapse. The staff are demanding:
The immediate inauguration of an independent visitation panel. A forensic audit of the university’s recent promotion exercises. An investigation into the financial dealings of the Governing Council.
As of press time, repeated attempts to reach Prof. Lafiaji-Okuneye by SaharaReporters for a response to these allegations have been unsuccessful, as calls to her official mobile line went unanswered.