A group, the Concerned Staff of Lagos State University, LASU, has written the Visitor to the university, who is also the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, how the Joint Council and Senate Selection Committee allegedly violated the advertisement for the position of VC by the shortlisting and eventual recommendation of some Professors who were prima facie unqualified for the position.

It noted that a publication by one of Nigeria’s national dailies put to rest the controversies surrounding the status of the Fellowship of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN) as being equivalent to a Doctorate Degree.

“A Newspaper house (not Vanguard) quoted a circular dated 3rd March 2020 signed by the Director of Academic Planning of the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC), Dr N.H. Saliu, who declared that the Postgraduate Medical Fellowship is not equivalent to PhD.

“The circular was addressed to Vice-Chancellors of all Universities and the Registrar of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria. The circular reads “Aside Fellowship of NPMCN, holders of the West African College of Physicians (WACP) or West African College of Surgeons (WACS) or any other recognised foreign Fellowship cannot be equated as PhD.

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“The NUC has, therefore, come out with the criteria for PhD programmes in clinical Sciences and has given a moratorium to those who possess a medical fellowship to get their PhDs by 2025. This is so that they can make up for their deficiency.

“The NUC’s 3rd March 2020 declaration supersedes the 30th September 2015 Press Release by the NPMCN on the “Clarification of Fellowship versus PhD for Clinical Teachers”, which is an attempt at self-justification. Since the NUC is the supervising authority for Nigerian universities, its pronouncements on the matter supersede any other one, to the extent of their contradictions.

The group questioned why the Selection Committee had shortlisted and subsequently recommended Professor Olumuyiwa Odusanya for the position and for possessing a Fellowship Certificate of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, and not a Doctorate Degree.

It further noted that “We believe that Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello is the only one who is eminently qualified for the office of the Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University, having ticked all the boxes as specified in the requirements advertised for the position. She has a PhD in Physiology, and possesses well above the required ten years’ experience as a Professor.”

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