By Chinyere Nwachukwu

The Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, has advised women in leadership positions not to be afraid of taking hard decisions when the need arises.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, Ogunsola said that courage, competence, fairness, empathy and transparency would distinguish any leader.

She said that leadership was about service to humanity and, therefore, required facing situations with an open mind.

Ogunsola, UNILAG’s first female Vice Chancellor, urged women to be inclusive and pragmatic in leadership.

She also urged them to stick to rules, warning that bending rules and satisfying private interests would have severe consequences.

“If you throw caution to the wind, you will end up serving the interest of a small group of people, while neglecting a sizable number,” she said.

Ogunsola said that it was often misconstrued that female leaders should be shielded, adding that they were sometimes underestimated.

“It is often misconstrued that as a female, I need help or when there is bad news, I need to be shielded.

“If you allow that, you may be making a grievous mistake. This is because there is no gender in this job.

“If there is any issue, we deal with it. If I need help, I ask.

“You cannot be shielded from information about your environment or the reality on ground. It is better you know what you are dealing with,” she said.

The vice-chancellor said that in her two and a half years of administration in UNILAG, she had been true to herself.

“In all ramifications, I have been true to my self.

“I believe that after two and a half years in office, most persons have come to realise that I am trying to be fair and that there is nothing personal,” she said.

Ogunsola described her job as tough, saying that most public offices were associated with pressure.

“We keep saying that our leaders don’t do enough but we need to consider the pressure coming from outside and the need not to push the boundaries.

“You cannot be too rigid but you must be very conscious of lines you should not cross,” she said.

She urged that competence should always be considered to achieve excellence.

“I put out criteria that are open to all. This means that whenever there is an opportunity for anything, anyone can get it so long as he or she meets the criteria.

“It is not hinged on you knowing the vice chancellor.

“When carrying out interviews, I may not know you but if you fit into those criteria, I contact you, because I always want the right persons in the right positions,” she said.

Ogunsola, who became the first female Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG after 60 years of the university’s existence, told NAN that she never came into the institution with plans of becoming a vice chancellor.

“I am a typical woman. I look around and ask: How many women have positioned themselves to be vice chancellor?

“Many of them are very capable, but are not looking in that direction,” she said.

Ogunsola advised women not to shy away from leadership, saying that women made valuable contributions to societal advancement. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ijeoma Popoola