The National Women Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities has called for the suspension of the Vice Chancellor, Federal University Oye Ekiti, Ekiti State, Prof Abayomi Fasina, over alleged sexual harassment.
Addressing journalists after SSANU’s 50th regular National Executive Council meeting at the Federal University Otuoke, Bayelsa State, the National Women Committee of the association said that the suspension of the Vice Chancellor had become imperative to allow for a free and fair investigation of the matter.
In the prepared text read by its National Women Coordinator and Chairperson for the Committee, Ijeoma Kalu, the women expressed dismay and dissatisfaction on the lingering issue of sexual harassment on one of its own by the Vice Chancellor.
They claimed that their colleague, who is said to be a deputy director in the Works department, categorically rebuked the VC and refused the alleged persistent advances, which they said, was a case of sexual harassment.
“This despicable act is not just a gross violation of our members’ dignity and fundamental human rights but a shameful abuse of power that erodes the moral fabric of our academic institutions and by extension our female members,” they held.
But the Vice Chancellor, Prof Fasina has said he is innocent of the allegation, claiming that he never harassed the lady in question sexually and that the police that investigated the allegation have given him a clean report.
He described the allegation as mere blackmail and a campaign of calumny, as he further claimed that the lady had exonerated him through a statement she made before the police that she was not sexually assaulted.
“It is a blackmail; it’s a lie from the pit of hell. We need to be fair in handling people’s cases. You don’t begin to blackmail and ruin somebody’s reputation for goodness sake.
“The point is that I am innocent of the allegation, it’s not true. In all her writing to the Council, she didn’t mention anything like sexual harassment. What’s happening is a defamation of character,” the VC said.
Some other demands made by the SSANU women committee include: “The immediate re-composition of the council committee already set up to investigate the matter and the re-construction of the committee’s terms of reference which is tilted towards fault finding and not resolving the matter.
“The immediate reversal of the suspension of the branch chairperson and secretary, Ben Faleye and Ayomikun Aluko, who were only acting in the line of their duties.
“The safety and security of our members as they are victims of sexual harassment and intimidation in the workplace; speedy determination of the matter in a non-prejudiced manner by the governing council of the university.”
The SSANU women called on the wife of the President, Oluremi Tinubu; wives of governors, members of the National Assembly; the Ministers of Education and Women Affairs and the Nigeria Labour Congress among others to protest to the National Assembly if the VC is not appropriately sanctioned.
The committee also called on the office of the first lady (Federal) and (State), Minister of Education, Minister of Women Affairs, Nigeria Labour Congress Women Commission, the Gender Mobile, the ICPC, Stand Up for Women Society, FIDA and all other appropriate and concerned bodies to dispassionately look into the matter and see that justice is served as appropriate.
“Lastly, we stand in full solidarity with our members and all other victims of sexual harassment as we will continue to fight and advocate for a safe and just working environment. Enough is enough justice must prevail,” they added.
But the Vice Chancellor in his reaction insisted: “This matter has been investigated by the police and they have given me a clean report that I didn’t commit any offence of sexual harassment.
“The lady wrote in her handwriting to say that there was no sexual harassment, the husband was with her; she was the one that said it, not me.
“The Council has already set up a committee in this matter and the committee has invited the two of us, we have faced the committee. So I don’t want to be subjudice in this matter, I don’t want to say more than that because once a committee is in place to investigate, you have to be very careful, you must not talk to bias the committee.”
When contacted on the matter, the Pro-Chancellor of the University and Chairman of the Governing Council, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, SAN, said that he was waiting for the panel set up to investigate the matter to submit its report.
“My position is that we should find a way to resolve this problem as soon as we can take the report of the panel. I am not in the business of making people unhappy or uncomfortable,” he said.
