Former Vice-Chancellor of Osun State University, Prof. Labode Popoola, has said he confronted powerful interests and took unpopular decisions during his five-year tenure to prevent the institution from collapsing.

Popoola said his administration initially relied on dialogue and persuasion to convince stakeholders to change practices that could undermine the university and the interests of Osun State.

He, however, said the administration adopted a firmer approach when those efforts failed, insisting that he was prepared to offend influential individuals whenever necessary to protect the institution.

The former vice-chancellor spoke on Saturday at the public presentation of his book, Navigating Stormy Waters: My Voyage Through UNIOSUN, held at Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan, Oyo State.

In a statement issued by Israel Scroll Media, Popoola said confronting powerful interests was not his preferred approach but became necessary when attempts at resolving issues through dialogue proved unsuccessful.

He said, “When all of that failed, it became imminent for me to step on toes. And I’m very good at that.”

Popoola explained that while he did not deliberately seek confrontation, he would not back down from difficult decisions when the survival and progress of the university were at stake.

He said he documented his experiences in the book to preserve the events and decisions of his tenure and provide future generations with an opportunity to understand the challenges he faced while leading the institution.

The former VC also dismissed allegations that he had been involved in bribery, declaring that he had neither offered nor accepted a bribe at any point in his life.

“I have never ever in my life taken bribe or given it in any form. I have never,” he said.

Popoola further criticised what he described as the silence of some academics in the face of wrongdoing, attributing the trend to the desire of some individuals to preserve relationships with influential figures and position themselves for personal benefits.

He said such reluctance to speak out allowed wrongdoing to persist within the academic system.

Reflecting on his tenure, Popoola said his administration inherited a university facing serious challenges and introduced reforms aimed at strengthening its governance, accountability and financial standing.

He maintained that the progress subsequently recorded by UNIOSUN was the result of deliberate interventions rather than luck.

“We saved UNIOSUN from totally collapsing. Those who know the truth know it. We rebuilt that university,” he said.