By Editor
Barely one week after the just concluded 9th convocation anniversary of the Federal University of Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), the embattled Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof Abayomi Sunday Fashina might be fighting a bitter battle of his life as fresh calls are being made for his immediate ‘stepping aside’ to allow the panel set up to look into the various allegations of improprieties against him work unhindered in the institution said to be riddled with monumental scandals raging from sexual harassment, financial fraud and high handedness.
The current mind blowing scandal rocking the citadel of learning was not unconnected with a viral voice note which contained a long conversation of alleged amorous advances made by Prof Fashina to a senior female staff of the institution that many found too messy to be true.
Since then, the relative peace of the university environment has become a peace of the graveyard as an atmosphere of fear and suspicions were reportedly unleashed on the campus by the embattled VC leading to a regime of silence by those in the know.
A disturbing development was introduced into the ongoing saga in the school last month when men of the DSS allegedly abducted the brother of the sexually harrassed staff of the institution and the GM of a popular radio station in Ado Ekiti for being in possession of a vital information about the scandal and posting same in the school’s platform. It took the intervention of Ekiti NUJ before the man was released few days later.
Similarly, the Chairman of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities SSANU, Comrade Ben Falaye has been suspended in a very controversial manner.
However many splinter groups within and outside the school have constituted a voice of opposition mounting pressure on the embattled head of the institution to quit his position before the expiration of his term which ends next February to pave way for an independent panel which would do a thorough investigation in addition to a forensic audit of the books in the entire six-year tenure of the VC.
The source revealed that Prof Fasina as the Vice-Chancellor who doubles as the Deputy Chairman of the University Governing Council may have castrated the panel from doing an independent investigation.
Moreso, the fact that he has not been relieved of his duties pending result of investigation testified to the levity the Governing Council members are handling the assignment and the future of the university.
To this end, a coalition under the aegis of Committee of Ekiti for Excellence and Ekiti Elders for Peace and Progress has demanded for immediate sacking of the Vice Chancellor for “failing completely in his career and assignments”
Speaking in a press statement made available to our correspondent and signed by the Chairman, Mr Otitoju Afolabi, the group described the VC as a serial accused and defendant at the University Governing Board having been accused and absolved of the allegations of receiving double salaries before the ongoing investigation into his sexual escapades.
In a related development and speaking in similar vein, the National Women Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU-NWC) has called for the immediate suspension of the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Oye Ekiti, Prof Abayomi Sunday Fashina over sexual harrassment brought against him by one of FUOYE’S female senior staff who is also a member of SSANU-NWC.
In a statement signed by the Committee’s National Women Coordinator, Comrade Ijeoma Basil Kalu and made available to newsmen at the weekend, the committee insisted that investigations into the weighty allegations levelled against the VC have lingered for too long and therefore called for the recomposition of the Council Committee earlier set up to investigate the matter and the reconstruction of the said committee which it claims is tilted towards fact-finding rather than an outright resolution of the matter.
“The SSANU-NWC expresses dismay and dissatisfaction over the lingering issue of sexual harrassment of one of our own at the Federal University Oye Ekiti, Ekiti State by the Vice Chancellor Prof Abayomi Sunday Fashina.
“Despite the provocative words used on our member such as “I like you, “I’m dying for you, “I like your aura, “I will disappear and appear in your room” and “forget that you are married woman” etc by the VC who is her boss and mentor at the work place, she categorically rebuked him and refused his advances, yet he persisted which is clearly a case of sexual harrassment.
“This despicable act is not just a gross violation of our member’s dignity and fundamental human rights, but it is also a shameful abuse of power that erodes the moral fabric of our academic institutions and by extension, our female member”
Meanwhile, investigations at the behest of the newspaper revealed more damaging reports about the unwholesome acts of the embattled VC in his attempt to cover his tracks in the subsequent reports.
Attempts to get the reaction of Dr Wole Balogun, the spokesperson for the institution proved abortive as as the time of filling this report
