Prof. Lillian Imuetinyan Salami, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin (UNIBEN)

By Jethro Ibileke/Benin
Ten months after Mallam Lamido Sanusi Lamido was deposed as Emir of Kano, the Vice Chancellor of University of Benin (UNIBEN), Prof. Lillian Salami, has asked the Federal Ministry of Education to clear the air on the status of the former monarch as the Chancellor of the institution.
Sanusi was appointed Chancellor of the institution in 2015 by the administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.
He was however deposed as Emir by the Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, in March 2020, over alleged “insubordination”.
He performed his last official duty as Chancellor of the University during the Convocation/Founders Day Ceremonies of the University in November 2019.
Responding to inquiry by journalists over non-inclusion of Sanusi in the University’s  50th anniversary and the VC’s one year in office programmes, Prof. Salami said she does not know if the deposed monarch is still the Chancellor of the University.
It was, however, noticed that Sanuni was not only absent at the event, but he was neither acknowledged during the VC’s remark nor did he send goodwill message to both events.
Besides, his portraits that used to hang conspicuously at key offices and at the University’s photo gallery were removed after he was deposed as Emir.
The VC said: “I really don’t have any answer for that. You can ask the Federal Ministry of Education. They are the one who knows whether he was deposed or removed.
“To the best of my knowledge, no letter came to me. I didn’t get any formal letter. I will not be able to give any position.
“I have a very good relationship with him (Sanusi)  and I can say that anywhere. Not even as VC, but on a personal level.”
It was, however, gathered that no letter of disengagement has been transmitted to the institution by  President Muhammadu Buhari or the Federal Ministry of Education.
The position of Chancellors in federal government-owned universities is reserved for first class traditional rulers.
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