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Staff and students
of the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, on Thursday, again called
for the release of the report of the visitation panel set up by the
Lagos State government to look into the crisis in the university.

The report, which
would determine if the estranged Vice Chancellor (VC) of the school,
Lateef Hussain, would be retained, was due to be released by the end of
January, 2010. It is yet to be released two months after the deadline.

“We know that the
members of the panel are men and women of integrity, but the report is
taking too long. The delay is already affecting the institution in so
many ways. It is affecting so many people because nothing is moving in
the school again. So many things have been paralysed; even the signing
of certificates for graduating students has ceased. That is why the
report should come out on time. We are restive; we are agitating for
the result,” said the chairperson of the school’s chapter of Senior
Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Funmi Sessi.

The situation in
the school, as confirmed by a staff in the VC’s office, who wanted
anonymity, is that Mr. Hussain has stopped signing school cheques and
students’ certificates since he came under investigation.

“Everything has come to a standstill; even the Social Sciences building construction has stopped since,” said the official.

Following a crisis
that left the school closed for four months, the State Executive
Council appointed a visitation panel for the purpose of hearing the
issues in the dispute. Both the student and staff unions of the school
had called for the removal of Mr. Hussain as the Vice Chancellor.

He was accused of fraud, intimidation, victimisation of staff and students, and “blatant display of arrogance”, amongst others.

Some of the staff and students have also accused the state government of playing politics with the school crisis.

“We believe that
justice delayed is justice denied,” said Senapon Ajasa, the student
union parliament speaker. “If the visitation panel wants to be fair and
just, then the report should be released on time. If he (Mr. Hussain)
is going to be vindicated or if he is going to be found guilty, let us
know on time. It is important to us.

“Is it until the VC
completes his tenure that the result will be released that he is found
guilty? He asked. “If he is guilty, let us know now because a guilty
person should not continue to remain in the office.”

“The students are
now sure that there is political undertone to the issue, because the
report is taking too long to come out,” said Ibrahim Bello, a student
and former press secretary of LASU chapter of National Association of
Nigerian Students (NANS).

Attempts to reach any member of the visitation panel since its inauguration have been unsuccessful.