Students of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), took to the streets on Wednesday, March 5, in protest against what they termed an orchestrated attempt to destabilise the institution through unfounded allegations against the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Fasina.
The protest, led by the Vice President of the Student Union, Olaniyi Eniola, comes in response to a demand by the National Women’s Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), which has called for Prof. Fasina’s suspension over an alleged sexual harassment case involving Mrs. Folasade Adebayo, a senior staff member at the university.
The controversy unfolded during a recent SSANU Women’s Committee meeting held in Otuoke, Bayelsa State, where the group accused Prof. Fasina of mishandling a sexual harassment complaint.
However, the protesting students vehemently dismissed the allegations, describing them as baseless, politically motivated, and aimed at undermining the progress of the university.
Eniola, flanked by Chief Justice of the Student Union Judicial Council, Victor Olaseni, and Senate President’s representative, Idowu Odunayo, condemned the actions of SSANU’s Women’s Committee, which they accused of attempting to disrupt the peace and stability of FUOYE.
“We are appalled by the actions of the SSANU National Women’s Committee, led by Mrs. Ijeoma Kalu, which is demanding the suspension of our highly respected VC over a completely unfounded allegation, We were shocked to read how they publicly disgraced themselves by calling for the removal of our beloved VC without any factual basis.” Eniola said.
The protestors carried placards with various inscriptions, including messages accusing the SSANU Women’s Committee of spreading misinformation and media blackmail.
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The students asserted that there was no evidence to support the claim of sexual harassment, and that the allegations made by the committee were politically motivated.
“The VC has already clarified that Mrs. Adebayo, in her official petition to the governing council, never mentioned sexual harassment, Even in her statements before the Nigerian Police, which investigated the matter, there was no mention of sexual harassment. So, where did the SSANU Women’s Committee fabricate this claim from? On what basis are they demanding his suspension? This is clearly a politically motivated smear campaign, which is doomed to fail.” Eniola explained.
The student body also pointed out that Adebayo herself had never formally accused Prof. Fasina of sexual harassment, with the matter remaining focused on other issues.
In a related development, the Campaign for Justice and Fair Play (CJFP), an advocacy group, issued a statement condemning the SSANU Women’s Committee’s actions. CJFP Chairman, Calistus Jemade, accused the committee of leading a well-funded campaign to destabilise FUOYE and discredit Prof. Fasina’s leadership.
“The sponsors of this campaign are not seeking justice but are actively working to destabilise the university, This is a calculated political attack designed to discredit a leader who has worked tirelessly to improve FUOYE. These individuals, motivated by self-interest, are determined to take control of the university’s leadership at any cost.” Jemade said.
The CJFP called on the FUOYE Senate, alumni, staff, and students to stand in solidarity with the Vice-Chancellor and resist any attempts to divide the institution.
They also urged the Chairman of the FUOYE Governing Council to expedite the ongoing investigation into the matter to prevent further misinformation from spreading.
As the situation unfolds, the tension within FUOYE remains high, with both students and faculty awaiting the resolution of the controversy and the ongoing investigation.
