By Editor
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has challenged the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Oye Ekiti, FUOYE Prof Abayomi Fashina to make good his threat to institute a legal action against the union over SSANU’s bold move to expose alleged sundry acts of gross misconduct levelled against the VC.
The national body of university workers engaged the university don in a bitter confrontation over a case of alleged sexual harrassment involving the Vice Chancellor and a female senior married staff member of the university, Engr Mrs Folasade Adebayo.
It was gathered that the university’s Governing Council hurriedly set up an investigation panel when the matter first leaked to the public but months after it’s inauguration, the report of the panel is yet to see the light of the day.
The development according to insider sources, infuriated the Women National Working Committee of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities SSANU-NWC who rose to defend one of their own.
They demanded the sacking of Prof Fashina amongst other prayers in a petition written to the First Lady Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, the Minister for Women Affairs, the National Assembly amongst others.
But in a swift reaction, Prof Fashina moved to stop the union by slamming them with a defamation suit.
Meanwhile, in a related development, SSANU has dared the Vice Chancellor to proceed with the purported court action against the union two months after it was served a Pre-action notice of defamation
The union disclosed this in a letter emanated from the legal representative of the Vice Chancellor made available to our correspondent last week.
Excerpt from the letter written by Prof Fashina’s legal Counsel Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa dated December 18, 2024 and addressed to the National President, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities SSANU and read in part;
“We have the brief of our Client to pursue all legal remedies regarding the patently false and defamatory statements authored by your local chapter through a communique issued on the 25th day of November, 2024 as well as in a supposed petition from your association/union to the Honourable Minister for Education, was disseminated to Sahara Reporters and the general press for the purpose of publishing same to third parties.
“The said statements authored and published by SSANU and your local chapter for public consumption was captioned in an online report by Sahara Reporters as follows: “University Staff SSANU in Ekiti Petition Minister to Probe Sexual Harrassment, Victimisation against Vice Chancellor” The publication under reference, made to the credit and instance of SSANU, was disseminated to the national and global audience both in print and online media”.
Continuing, the letter quoted an earlier petition written by FUOYE SSANU detailing Prof Abayomi Fashina including claims of sexual harrassment and victimisation brought forward by Engr Mrs F. Adebayo, the former Director of the Works and Services Unit.
“SSANU also raised concerns about Prof Fashina’s governance style alleging abuse of office, financial mismanagement, and failure to comply with university service scheme noting that qualified non-teaching staff were being overlooked in favor of teaching staff for leadership roles in non-teaching units contrary to established regulations”
The union in addition, requested the Minister’s intervention to allegations of sexual harrassment and victimisation to ensure due process in staff appointments and welfare polices.
The Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa legal office thus claimed that the effects of SSANU petition as contained in the publication/report under reference is falsely suggestive that “our Client is a likely sexual offender likely involved in sexual offences against staff members of FUOYE”
“Without a doubt, SSANU has dealt an invisible but serious dent against our client’s hard- earned dignity and established reputation”
To this end, the law firm on behalf of it’s Client demanded amongst others: An immediate retraction of the offensive publication, Cease, Desist and refrain forth with from further and or similar post or publication of or concerning our client in any manner whatsoever and howsoever with a strong warning that if after seven days of receipt of the letter, SSANU fails, refuses and or neglects to comply with the demands, the defendant shall proceed to pursue the matter in the law court.
But in a reaction, the SSANU Chairman South West Zone, Dr Salaam said: “This Pre-action notice of defamation by Olu Adegboruwa Chambers was sent on December 18, 2024 where SSANU was given seven days to retract otherwise the union would be taken to court but more than two months after, the VC and his lawyers are yet to make good their threat to sue the union for defamation”
He said further; “It seems Prof Fashina’s style is to browbeat and intimidate critics using every weapon possible. He has used every instrument of his office as VC, the security agencies, the media and lawyers to harass and attack SSANU or anybody who comments on his negative governance of the Federal University, Oye- Ekiti. Even students have been used as weapons in his war of attrition where fictitious groups have been created to defend him against the allegations”
In a similar vein, a fresh alleged sexual harrassment has been uncovered in the institution.
The unsettling scandal which first came to the open two weeks ago was said to have been kept under wrap by concerned authorities in the school because of the negative publicity the institution has garnered in recent times.
Reacting to the allegations, Dr Salaam said; “It is no surprise that another woman has come up with another sexual harrassment allegation against Prof Fashina. Na only him waka come? Why him all the time? He asked.
Affirming the confidence of SSANU in truth and justice SSANU Chairman said; “This threat of using the law firm of Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa is an attempt to browbeat the union. SSANU is however not afraid of him. While SSANU is convinced that the Committee set up to investigate the matter has its terms of reference and membership heavily compromised and skewed against our members, we await the outcome of the University Governing Council. The decision of the Council will determine our next line of action”
However, calls and messages sent to Dr Wole Balogun S.A Media to the VC for his reaction were not answered as at time of filling this report
