Tension In LUTH As Prof Fasanmade Faults CMD Selection Process

Amid brewing tension in the Lagos University Hospital (LUTH) ,Idi-Araba over the alleged surreptitious appointment of the current Ag Chief Medical Director of the hospital , Prof. Wasiu Lanre Adeyemo as the substantive Chief Executive, Professor of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Prof Olufemi Adetola Fasanmade has faulted the selection process in the hospital, calling on the Tinubu-led administration to ensure free, virile and fair process now and in the future.

Recall that adverts for the vacant CMD position came out on November 14th, 2022 and closed December 24th, 2022 a week before the advertised six (6) week closing date.

The erstwhile CMD vacated office on 24th March, 2023 and the then Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC), Prof Adeyemo was announced as acting CMD, who was competing with Prof Olufemi Fasanmade.

Prof. Fasanmade, in a press statement made available to LEADERSHIP Sunday, revealed that interviews were delayed till just after Adeyemo resumed in his acting capacity thereby securing an extra four to five marks for the acting post which was given midway into the interview process.

“This was despite the fact that I had on several occasions in my own 4-year tenure as CMAC also acted as CMD, “ Fasanmade lamented.

He claimed that the interview panel scored him for the possession of a PhD from the University of Cologne, Germany (though his CV stated Dr.med dent degree and not PhD) while his MD postgraduate degree (which the National Universities Commission and the National Postgraduate Medical College have attested to be a PhD equivalent) was scored zero.

Fasanmade also accused the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, of being partial in the selection process, saying, “The Minister of Health, a few weeks after this interview went ahead to interview both of us privately in his hotel suite in Eko Hotel on the 28th, April, 2023 for reasons best known to him. I am reliably informed that he had a prolonged meeting at the same venue with Prof Adeyemo before I was hurriedly summoned to come.

“The Minister made several overtures including phone calls to me to have me accept a consolatory CMD position in the Federal Teaching Hospital in Wukari, Taraba state knowing that I didn’t apply for that position and others had been interviewed and shortlisted for that same position in Taraba State. I politely turned it down,” he stated.