FUOYE exonerates VC, demands apology from accuser

The Governing Council of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, FUOYE, has exonerated the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Fasina, of the sexual harassment allegations made against him by Mrs. Folasade Adebayo, a senior lecturer at the institution.

The decision was communicated through a statement issued by the university’s Registrar and Secretary of the Council, Mr. Mufutau Ibrahim, on Wednesday in Oye-Ekiti.

The allegations, which first surfaced earlier this year, prompted the university’s council to set up an investigative committee to look into the matter.

This was after Adebayo, supported by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, FUOYE chapter, insisted on an inquiry into the claims.

The committee’s findings were discussed in a council meeting where Prof. Fasina was asked to excuse himself to ensure impartiality and open deliberation.

During the investigation, all council members listened to the alleged audio recordings at the heart of the case, with the assistance of a translator.

After exhaustive discussions, the council concluded that there was no evidence of sexual harassment. This conclusion mirrored the earlier findings of the Nigerian police, where Adebayo had stated that she was not sexually harassed.

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The council also concluded that the audio recordings had been used as a tool for blackmail, with the intent to pressure Prof. Fasina into confirming Adebayo’s appointment as the substantive Director of Works and Services—a position he had no authority to grant.

In light of this, the council directed that Mrs. Adebayo be warned for bringing the university’s reputation into disrepute and ordered her to issue a formal apology to the council within seven days.

The council also expressed concerns about how the university’s management handled the situation, particularly regarding the backdating of Adebayo’s promotion to 2015, which occurred in 2024.

The council found this act troubling, considering it appeared to give preferential treatment to Adebayo. In response, the council directed the university management to review the backdated promotion and warned that such actions must be avoided in the future to maintain the integrity of staff promotions at the university.

Additionally, the council addressed the vacancy for the positions of Director of Physical Planning and Director of Works and Services, stating that the positions would now be advertised to ensure transparency and fairness in the recruitment process.

NAN