Late 2024, a senior lecturer at the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) in Ekiti State, Engineer Mrs Folasade Adebayo, accused the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Abayomi Sunday Fasina, of sexual harassing and victimising her.
Even the school’s chapter of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) also accused the VC of inappropriate conduct towards the lecturer. The association claimed that Prof. Fasina made advances at their colleague then proceeded to remove her from office after she refused.
The VC has now been suspended from office by the school’s Governing Council and directed to proceed on “accumulated leave for a period of six (6) months” on the promptings of the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa.
Dr Alausa was displeased and angry that the council tried to sweep the sexual harassment complaint under the carpet and rather told the complainant to apologise. He called the Chairman of the Governing Council, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN), to register his displeasure.
Prompted by the minister’s concern, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba convened an emergency virtual meeting of the university’s Governing Council at 2:00 PM on Monday, April 14. During the meeting, the Council resolved to remove Prof. Fasina from office, albeit under the guise of accumulated leave rather than outright suspension.
According to sources, Prof. Fasina pleaded with the Council to allow him to proceed on his accrued annual and research leave instead of facing direct suspension.
That is not even the koko of this sexual harassment issue. The interesting catch is that Engr. Adebayo has provided evidence to back up her allegation. She brought forward a voice recorded conversation between her and the VC!