‘We didn’t approve banner with his photo’ — UNILAG speaks on MC Oluomo’s invitation

The management of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) says it was aware of the invitation of Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, but did not approve the banner in which he was invited as special guest. 

On Thursday, there was outrage on social media platforms after a poster image for a seminar organised by the varsity surfaced online in which the leader of the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), the state chapter, was listed as one of the special guests of the day.

In a rejoinder issued on Friday by Taiwo Oloyede, UNILAG’s spokesperson, the authorities said although MC Oluomo was one of those to be invited — which led to the draft banner with his picture, currently trending on social media — the approved banner did not have him as an invited guest.

She added that the event was organised by students in the Geography Department of the school and that it held on Tuesday.

Oloyede said that the NURTW leader did not attend the event.

She also urged the general public to disregard “any propaganda making the rounds on social media about the propriety of inviting a particular guest or not.”

“The management of the University of Lagos hereby notifies parents, guardians and other stakeholders of the university that it is aware of the event to which the Lagos State Caretaker Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Musiliu Akinsanya, was allegedly invited,” the rejoinder reads.

“The event was a colloquium on ‘Transport Efficiency: Employing Lagos Terrain Alternatives.’ organised by the National Association of Geography Students (NAGS) on Tuesday, September 17, 2019.

“Relevant stakeholders in the transport sector invited to the event were: Arc. Abiodun Dabiri, MD, Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA); Engr. Ibrahim Alhassan, Chairman, Nigerian Railway Corporation; Dr. Olusegun Spencer, Director, Amalgamated Mega-City Transport; Mr. Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, MD, Lagos Waterways Authority; Dr. Adewale Sanni, Station Manager, Lufthansa and Dr. Charles Asenime, LASU School of Transport, PG Coordinator.

“Although Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya (MC Oluomo) was one of those to be invited, which informed the draft banner with his picture, currently trending on social media; the approved banner did not have Alhaji Akinsanya as an invited guest, neither did he attend the event.

“For the record, events are organised on campus to expose students to current trends in the academia and industries. During such events, 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.  The goal is to produce students that are locally relevant and globally competitive.”

In June, the NURTW leader was also the subject of discussion after a photo of his honorary visit to the state of Atlanta, Georgia in the United States went viral.