The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Professor Folasade Ogunsola, has advised women in leadership positions to be brave and firm in making difficult decisions when necessary.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, Ogunsola said leadership required courage, competence, fairness, empathy and transparency, describing it as a service to humanity that must be approached with an open mind.
UNILAG’s first vice-chancellor urged women in leadership positions to be inclusive, pragmatic and guided by established rules, warning that bending the rules for personal interests could have dire consequences.
“If you throw caution to the wind, you will end up serving the interests of a small group of people, while neglecting a considerable number,” he said.
She added that women leaders should not allow themselves to be shielded or underestimated, highlighting that “there is no gender in this job.”
“If there is a problem, we solve it. If I need help, I ask for it. You can’t be protected from information about your environment or the reality on the ground,” he said.
Reflecting on her administration, Ogunsola said she had remained true to herself during her two and a half years in office, noting that most people had come to realize her commitment to fairness and objectivity.
Describing her role as challenging, the vice-chancellor noted that leadership often came with external pressure and required a careful balance between flexibility and discipline.
“You can’t be too rigid, but you have to be very aware of the lines you shouldn’t cross,” he said.
Ogunsola also highlighted competence and merit in leadership, explaining that all opportunities at the university were based on open and transparent criteria.
“It doesn’t depend on whether you know the vice-chancellor. When I do the interviews, I may not know you, but if you fit those criteria, I will contact you because I always want the right people in the right positions,” he said.
Ogunsola, who made history as UNILAG’s first female vice-chancellor in the university’s 60-year history, said she never set out to hold the position but had always focused on service and impact.
“I’m a typical woman. I look around me and ask: How many women have positioned themselves to be vice chancellors? Many of them are very capable, but they don’t look in that direction,” she said.
She encouraged women not to shy away from leadership roles and highlighted that women’s participation and perspective were vital to the progress and development of society.
(YAYA)
READ ALSO TOP STORIES OF Newslodge
WATCH THE BEST VIDEOS FROM Newslodge TV