The management of Lagos State University, LASU, has called back the former Dean of Students Affairs (DSA), Professor Tajudeen Olumoko, and Professor Hammed Mutalib after an investigation absolved them of extortion and certificate racketeering.
Recall that in November 2023, the university management suspended Prof. Olumoko and Prof Mutalib following a media report revealing that a syndicate was selling certificates for between N2 million and N3 million, depending on the course of study. Olumoko was directly linked to the controversy.
Olumoko was subsequently queried and asked to explain his role in the matter.
The management removed Olumoko from his position as DSA and replaced him with Dr. Abiodun Fatai-Abatan, a senior lecturer in the Department of Political Science, while investigations were conducted by the school senate and the Lagos State House of Assembly.
However, when our correspondent visited the institution last week Wednesday, Prof. Olumoko was seen in the school with some students in his department. Upon further investigation, it was revealed that he had resumed teaching in November 2024.
Contacted multiple times, the Lagos State University registrar, Mr. Emmanuel Fanu, could not be reached.
His phone number displayed “busy.”
However, when he finally returned the call, Fanu said: “Professor Olumoko has been reinstated because the investigation has been completed, and he has been cleared.”
Efforts to reach the LASU Coordinator of the Centre for Information and Public Relations, Oluwayemisi Thomas-Onashile, for further information, proved abortive. Both SMS and WhatsApp messages sent to her remained unanswered as of press time.
(Vanguard)
