LASU Unions Renew Call for One-Term Policy for Principal Officers
A growing dispute is unfolding at Lagos State University over its principal officers’ tenure system. While the 2012 federal reform introduced a single five-year tenure for university principal officers, LASU only applied it to the Vice-Chancellor. The Registrar, Bursar, and University Librarian still serve two terms, unlike most public universities in Nigeria where all principal officers operate under a uniform single tenure. Non-teaching staff unions are now demanding that the Lagos State Government amend LASU’s law to align all principal officers under the same single-term structure, arguing it would promote fairness, accountability, and institutional stability. Efforts to get official reactions from key state and university authorities were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.
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LASU’s Tenure Debate Sparks Fresh Agitation Among Non-Teaching Staff,A fresh wave of agitation is brewing at Lagos State University (LASU) over what many staff members describe as an imbalance in the tenure structure of the institution’s principal officers
At the center of the controversy is the continued implementation of a two-term system for some key administrative officers of the university, despite reforms introduced more than a decade ago across Nigeria’s public university system.Following the enactment of the University Miscellaneous Provisions (Amendment) Act of 2012, public universities across Nigeria adopted a single five-year tenure for principal officers as part of efforts to strengthen accountability, reduce internal power struggles, and encourage institutional renewal.
However, while the Lagos State Government amended LASU’s law to grant the Vice-Chancellor a single tenure, the same provision was not extended to other principal officers such as the Registrar, Bursar, and University Librarian.
As it currently stands in LASU, these three officers are still entitled to two terms in office — a situation that is now generating intense debate and dissatisfaction among non-teaching staff within the university community.The agitation has gained momentum as staff unions and stakeholders continue to push for a uniform tenure structure that aligns with what is obtainable in many other public universities across the country.
Daily Sun gathered that the university’s Governing Council has already advertised the position of Registrar, a move that further heightened concerns among workers advocating reforms.
Sources within the university revealed that the matter was brought before the Governing Council, but affected staff members were advised to channel their demands directly to the Lagos State Government since the issue requires legislative amendment.
In response, one of the university’s staff unions reportedly wrote to the state government, requesting an amendment to the LASU law to extend the single-term provision to all principal officers.
Union Raises Concerns Over Equity and Best Practices,In its communication to government officials, the union questioned why the single-term arrangement introduced under the 2012 amendment was implemented only for the Vice-Chancellor while excluding the Registrar, Bursar, and University Librarian.
The union noted that LASU appears to be one of the few public universities still operating under what it described as an outdated framework.According to the union, most state-owned universities in Nigeria now operate a uniform five-year single tenure for all principal officers, including the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, Bursar, and Librarian.
The staff body argued that maintaining different tenure structures within the same institution undermines the principles of equity, transparency, accountability, and institutional renewal that the 2012 reforms sought to promote.
Letter to Government
The letter, signed by the union’s Chairman, Comrade Demu Bankole, and General Secretary, Olori Adewunmi, was copied to several top government officials including the Governor, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Chairman of the House Committee on Tertiary Education, and Chairman of the LASU Governing Council.
The union urged the Lagos State Government to urgently begin the process of amending the LASU law to ensure that all four principal officers operate under the same single-term structure.
The union also stressed that adopting a uniform tenure system would:
-Promote transparency and fairness in leadership appointments
-Encourage the emergence of new leaders within the institution
-Align LASU with best practices in the Nigerian university system
-Strengthen integrity in the selection process for principal officers
-Silence from Authorities
Myschoolnews learnt that despite the letter being dispatched several months ago, no official response has been received from the state government.
Meanwhile, the process for appointing another Registrar is expected to commence soon, adding urgency to the growing agitation on campus.
Efforts to obtain reactions from the Lagos State Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Mr. Tolani Sule, and the LASU Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, were unsuccessful as of press time, as messages sent to both officials reportedly received no response.
What Next for LASU?
As tensions continue to build, many observers believe the state government may soon be compelled to address the issue to prevent further unrest within the university community.
For many staff members, the debate is no longer just about tenure length, but about fairness, institutional consistency, and aligning LASU with evolving governance standards in Nigeria’s higher education sector.
