SSANU Threatens Strike Over Federal University Oye-Ekiti S£xual Harassment Probe, Demands VC Suspension, Council Dissolution
SSANU claimed that the decisions made by the Council during its meeting on Tuesday, April 8, were not only anticipated but also set a disturbing precedent in Nigeria’s university system.
The Western Zone of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has criticised the Governing Council of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), for its handling of a sexual harassment case involving the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Abayomi Sunday Fashina, and a Deputy Director, Engineer Folashade Adebayo.
In a statement issued on Thursday by Comrade Abdussobur Olayiwola Salaam, National Vice President and Western Zone Chairman of SSANU, the union expressed deep disappointment at what it described as a “compromised” investigation and an “attempt to protect the villain while further victimising the victim.”
SSANU claimed that the decisions made by the Council during its meeting on Tuesday, April 8, were not only anticipated but also set a disturbing precedent in Nigeria’s university system.
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“Yet, what did we expect? Can a cockroach be innocent in a gathering of fowls?” the statement read, highlighting what the union called a biased and flawed process.
The union accused the Council of ignoring the power dynamics between the Vice Chancellor and his subordinate while discrediting critical evidence such as audio recordings that captured the Vice Chancellor allegedly making inappropriate advances toward Engineer Adebayo.
“We are shocked that the Governing Council saw nothing reprehensible in a conversation where the Vice-Chancellor made the following utterances: ‘I am dying for you; I will not leave you; Make me happy and I will make you happy… I will not accept your rejection,’” SSANU stated.
Although the Council acknowledged the existence of the recordings, it reportedly failed to subject them to forensic analysis and instead focused on questioning the motive behind the recordings — suggesting they were meant for blackmail.
“Rather than be disturbed about the unequal balance of power… the Governing Council focused on the recording of the conversations,” the union noted, likening the Council’s reaction to “condemning a house owner for recording an armed robbery attempt.”
Furthermore, the union described as false the Council’s assertion that there was no official complaint of sexual harassment against Professor Fashina.
“To claim that Engineer Folashade Adebayo never made any complaint of sexual harassment… is a barefaced and brazen lie,” SSANU stated.
It also dismissed a police report cited by the Council which allegedly absolved the Vice Chancellor, noting that the report was from the Special Fraud Unit and related only to financial misconduct, not sexual harassment.
The union rejected all disciplinary actions taken against Engineer Adebayo, as well as sanctions meted out to the FUOYE SSANU Branch Chairman and Secretary, Comrades Benjamin Faleye and Ayomikun Aluko, respectively.
The motive of demanding letters of apology within seven days is not lost on us… It is a vindictive attempt to engineer their dismissal,” Salaam alleged.
The Governing Council has failed the integrity test… Their continued stay in office puts a big question mark on President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” the union said.
SSANU urged the Minister of Education, Dr. Morufu Tunji Alausa, to act decisively and called on other institutions, including the Ministry of Women Affairs, ICPC, NAPTIP, National Human Rights Commission, and the National Assembly committees on Education and Women Affairs, to investigate the matter.
The union warned that it had commenced mobilisation across all 26 universities in the Western Zone for possible industrial action.
“We shall not stop until our demands are met,” SSANU added.
Calling for immediate government intervention, SSANU demanded the dissolution of the FUOYE Governing Council and the suspension of Professor Fashina pending an independent investigation.
