By Chioma Obinna

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Lagos State Branch has expressed deep concern over the recent interdiction of Prof Abiodun Adewuya, the Provost of Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM).

The NMA is calling on the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to intervene and resolve the dispute between the Provost and the Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University (LASU).

The NMA highlighted that this is the second time in six years that a LASUCOM Provost has been interdicted. They expressed concern that this trend is detrimental to the progress of the college, which has achieved significant growth and recognition in recent years.

In a press statement signed by the Lagos State Chairman of NMA, Dr. Saheed Babajide emphasised the importance of LASUCOM as a key training institution for healthcare professionals in Lagos State and the region. They urged the governor to intervene to prevent further disruptions and ensure the continued stability and progress of the college.

The statement reads in parts, “The attention of the leadership of the NMA Lagos State has been drawn to an unpleasant news of the interdiction of Prof Abiodun Adewuya, the 8th substantive Provost of LASUCOM, by the Vice Chancellor (VC) of Lagos State University (LASU), Prof Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello and we are using this medium to call on you for immediate intervention so as to forestall needless crisis in the College.

“Sir, the NMA Lagos State, is a critical stakeholder in medical education and training in the state, being the umbrella body of all medical and dental practitioners in the State, from which most of the academic staff of LASUCOM are drawn and the membership of which is significantly buoyed by medical and dental practitioners trained by LASUCOM.

“As such; we are concerned that the now recurrent tendency for disciplinary procedures, including interdiction, to be met on the Provost of LASUCOM by a sitting VC of LASU is getting worrisome and smirks of some lingering ego and turf war in the relationship between the University and the College leaderships over time.

“Testament to the hard work and vision of the founding fathers and successive governments of Lagos State, LASUCOM has blossomed into an academic giant, with global and international ranking and has produced thousands of medical and dental practitioners, many of which are specialists, super-specialists and senior academics today after 25 years of her establishment.

“The college has thrived excellently and has expanded both in scope and capacity and has become a major training hub for different categories of health-workers in Lagos state and the sub-region.
We are however worried that this present interdiction of the Provost, who has steered the affairs of the College brilliantly in the last roughly 2 years with identifiable giant strides and palpable stability, is capable of derailing the progress of the College needlessly.

“This is more so because this will be the second time, in the past 6 years, that a Provost of the College will be interdicted. Interdiction of a Provost of College of Medicine is supposed to be a rare event and not an everyday occurrence as it is fast becoming in LASUCOM.

“The development is unhealthy and, in the past, has led to needless litigations and unnecessary spending and wastages.

“We therefore strongly call on you, to implore the State Governor, Mr. Babjide Sanwo-Olu, to use his good office, as Visitor to the University, to intervene in whatever the issues may be in the relationship between the Provost of LASUCOM and the Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University (LASU) and resolve the dispute with immediate effect in public interest.”