Unilag clarifies MC Oluomo's invitation to colloquium

All those who were critical that MC Oluomo was invited as a “special guest” for an event at the University of Lagos (Unilag) may now breathe a sigh of relief.

It looks like the good folks at the Unilag are particular about who they invite to speak to their students.

Give me some background, what was that about?

During the week, a banner surface on Twitter, which shows the caretaker chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Lagos Chapter, Musiliu Akinsanya, aka MC Oluomo, as a “special guest” at a colloquium that took place at the citadel of learning.

Nigerians were not amused as many people alleged the caretaker chairman is, shall we say, an elevated motor park tout. Mind you, an influential one at that especially around Oshodi where he is mostly based.

So, when this poster, which says MC Oluomo was invited as a special guest to talk to Unilag students surfaced online, the public was aghast. Some couldn’t comprehend it.

Nigeria rewards Rubbish..that’s how Abba Kyari became an example in Leadership.. MC Oluomo a political Gangster who made money from Thuggery for @AsiwajuTinubu is now a guest lecturer @UnilagNigeria ..Shame…Shekau & Jihadists up north will do same at Danfodio or Ahmadu Bello https://t.co/XbFFkZLunO

— Sledge Pro™ (@Ezendu_1) September 20, 2019

However, a few people were more accommodating, reasoning that as the event was transport-related, that maybe the caretaker chairman may well be qualified to speak at the event.

I woke up to this MC Oluomo brouhaha this morning. Hahan. Guest speaker and special guest are two different things entirely. Let’s be guided edakun pic.twitter.com/hqssxCzbUU

— Arákùnrin Balogun Fagunleka (@Great_Kamil) September 19, 2019

I don’t see anything wrong in UNILAG inviting MC Oluomo to come speak at an event organised by their transport department. Mc Oluomo is educated in his field.

— Wale Adetona (@iSlimfit) September 19, 2019

And now?

Well, all the brouhaha didn’t exactly sit well with the management of the University of Lagos, who probably didn’t see MC Oluomo as a reflection of the University’s standard-bearer. So, they issued a statement via their Principal Assistant Registrar, Communication Unit, Taiwo Oloyede.

According to the statement published on Punch website, the assistant registrar confirmed that an event was organised by the students of the Geography Department of the University and that the said event took place on Wednesday, 17th November 2019. However, why MC Oluomo was invited, to the event, the approved publicity poster for the programmed did not list him as a guest.

The statement further affirms that students are exposed to current “trends in the academia and industries” via various events during which “experts and relevant stakeholders with considerable knowledge and experience on the theme of such activities are carefully selected and invited to come and share their thoughts with our students.”

You can read the rest of the statement on Punch website but the gist of it is what we summarised above.

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