Babcock breaks silence over s£xual misconduct report against VC candidate
Babcock breaks silence over s£xual misconduct report against VC candidate
September 15, 2025
1:43 pm
News
Babcock breaks silence over sexual misconduct report against VC candidate
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The management of Babcock University, Ilisan Remo, on Monday debunked a sexual infidelity report against a former university pastor and Associate Vice President for Spiritual Life, Afolarin Ojewole, describing such a report as “fabricated, baseless, cheap blackmail and figment of imagination of the unconscionable writer.”
An online medium was quoted to have alleged that the university is doing everything to favour Ojewole above other candidates jostling for the office of the Vice Chancellor of the institution, despite being sanctioned in the past for alleged sexual infidelity against one of the students of the university.
Recall that the Vice Chancellor of the Seventh Day Adventist institution, Ademola Tayo, will be completing his two terms of 10 years by November, while his successor is expected to be announced by December 1, 2025.
A rigorous screening exercise is said to be currently ongoing, and about seven distinguished professors are said to be in the race to succeed the outgoing Vice Chancellor.
However, in a statement made available to journalists on Monday and signed by Joshua Suleiman, the Director of Marketing and Communication of the university, the ivory tower condemned the online report, saying that the allegation was a product of reckless imagination and a deliberate attempt to malign the character of the church, the university, and its leadership process.
The statement stated that at no point did the university receive any allegation or report from anyone whosoever, including the so-called “The Apostles Seventh-Day Adventist advocacy group” or its so-called coordinator, Samson Fasasi in respect of the candidate mentioned in the said publication.
It added that the university has never at any time set up any disciplinary committee to look into such an allegation against the candidate, let alone engage in covering up the report of such a phantom committee
The university explained that contrary to the false publication, Ajewole, on leave absence, left the university in 2018 with his wife to offer parental support to his children in the United States of America, and not on account of having been involved in any sexual scandal.
It stated that the duly constituted University Governing Council 2025 Search Committee for the appointment of the President/Vice-Chancellor operates under the highest spiritual, ethical, and procedural standards guided strictly by the time-tested policies and guidelines of the global organisation of over one and a half centuries in existence.
The institution said that the publication is not only roguish but also a calculated attempt to undermine the integrity of the University, sow seeds of discord among the faithful, and cast aspersions on a process that has remained transparent, fair, and beyond reproach.
The statement further said that, ”The appointment of the President/Vice-Chancellor of Babcock University is neither political, nor subject to lobbying, influence, or compromise.
“It is not an election. Rather, it is a sacred and spiritual exercise grounded in merit, excellence, prayerful consideration, adherence to the Church’s longstanding policies, and the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Candidates are assessed strictly on their moral uprightness, spiritual soundness, intellectual capacity, emotional stability, proven track record, and service to the Church and humanity.
“It is utter falsehood and sheer mischief for anyone to insinuate that a single individual, no matter his/her position, can unilaterally alter or tamper with the established policies of Babcock University and the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
“The claim that the current Vice Chancellor alone manipulated University policy to pave the way for a particular contestant is nothing but a figment of the imagination of the perpetrators of this malicious lie.
“At no point did the outgoing President/Vice Chancellor attempt to unilaterally amend the University Bye laws or any guideline whatsoever, let alone doing so in the bid to impose a successor on the university as erroneously reported in an earlier publication of the same medium
“Those behind this defamatory act are hereby sternly warned to desist from such destructive behaviour forthwith.
Babcock University reserves the right to seek redress under the law for any reputational damage caused by malicious and unfounded statements made against the University and or any of its personnel.
“Should this reckless conduct persist, the University will have no hesitation in pursuing appropriate legal redress to protect its name, the Church, and the individuals so maliciously targeted”, the university warned.
The university also called on all persons, including the candidates vying for the office of the President/Vice-Chancellor, and their supporters, to refrain from descending into condemnable tactics or antics in matters relating to the institution adding that the “sacred process of leadership transition in Babcock University must never be tainted by falsehood, propaganda, or blackmail.”
The management reaffirmed its commitment to all stakeholders, students, staff, alumni, parents, and the general public, that the ongoing process of appointing the next President/Vice-Chancellor of the university remains transparent, just, fair, and guided solely by merit and service gov.
