Former Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University (LASU), Professor Olanrewaju Fagbohun, has warned that political interference in the appointment of university vice-chancellors could produce ineffective leaders and undermine the administration of Nigerian universities.
He said the credibility of university leadership depended partly on the integrity of the selection process, urging stakeholders to respect established procedures and the checks and balances guiding appointments.
Fagbohun spoke on Saturday at the public presentation of Navigating Stormy Waters: My Voyage Through UNIOSUN, a book by former Vice-Chancellor of Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Professor Labode Popoola, held at Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan, Ibadan.
The former LASU vice-chancellor argued that allowing undue influence to determine who leads a university could have consequences for the institution beyond the appointment itself.
“If there is so much interference in the appointment of a vice-chancellor, you are likely to throw up a vice-chancellor that does not have what it takes to be a vice-chancellor, and it can mess up the system,” he said.
He also raised concerns about the use of staff and students’ unionism by some groups to challenge institutional rules and weaken the authority of university management. He clarified, however, that the problem was not common to every university.
Beyond leadership appointments, Fagbohun said effective university administration required the cooperation of government, management, lecturers, non-academic staff and students. While acknowledging funding constraints, he maintained that some institutional difficulties could be reduced if stakeholders discharged their responsibilities.
He also challenged the view that Nigerian university programmes were fundamentally inadequate, pointing to reviews by the National Universities Commission, which incorporated private-sector contributions to make academic training more responsive to industry needs and practical skills.
The professor called for better enforcement of students’ attendance requirements and improved working conditions for lecturers, saying both were important to the quality of university education.
Popoola, whose book chronicles his experience leading UNIOSUN, also used the occasion to reflect on the resistance he faced while attempting to reform the institution.
He said he encountered a system affected by corruption, indiscipline and weak institutional integrity when he assumed office. According to him, efforts to address these problems attracted threats, blackmail and petitions accusing him of financial misconduct.
The former vice-chancellor rejected the allegations, maintaining that he neither solicited nor received bribes while in office. He said the final three years of his administration were largely devoted to infrastructure development and repositioning the university.
Popoola attributed the progress made during his tenure to institutional reforms, teamwork and the support of the university’s visitor and governing council. He urged university administrators to remain committed to reforms despite resistance from entrenched interests.
Chairman of the occasion, Dr Wale Babalakin, SAN, described the book as an illuminating account and a significant contribution to scholarship.
The presentation attracted the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Peter Olapegba; the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Osun State for the 2026 election, Bola Oyebamiji; serving and former vice-chancellors, traditional rulers and other dignitaries.
