The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) acting on a petition by a Coalition has commenced probe into allegations against the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Prof. Abayomi Fasina.
Trouble started for Prof. Fasina when a Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSO) forwarded a petition to ICPC detailing his sex escape and harassment of a married staff of the University.
The petition was received by the Commission on Monday 27th January, and commenced investigation immediately.
CSOs that signed the petition according to a copy made available to media houses are, Gender Mobile Initiative, Baobab for Women’s Human Rights, Education as a Vaccine, BIGIF, BraveHeart Initiative and Hope Behind Bars, highlighting the nature of this case as a test of Nigeria’s commitment to eradicating gender-based violence and fostering accountability in public institutions.
The organisations are demanding for justice for the victim, Engr. Folashade Adebayo who is a Deputy Director at the Directorate of Works and Services at the Federal University Oye Ekiti, particularly that she is a married woman.
Prof. Fasina allegedly demanded for sex from the woman, but she turned down his request, citing that she is a married woman and was subsequently removed from her position in the office.
As a result, Adebayo reportedly wrote a letter to the governing board of the school for intervention, but there was no response.
While calling for an independent investigation into the allegations of sexual harassment against Fasina, the CSOs urged the ICPC to ensure justice is served in the matter.
The petition, submitted on January 27, 2025, was addressed to the ICPC Chairman and copied to key stakeholders, including the Minister of Education, the Attorney General, the Inspector General of Police, and relevant Senate and House Committees.
The petition described the alleged actions of the VC as a “gross abuse of authority, contravention of institutional ethics, and a violation of Nigeria’s legal frameworks on workplace harassment and gender-based violence”.
The CSOs expressed a lack of confidence in the panel constituted by the Governing Council given the biases shining through the panel’s terms of reference and demanded a thorough and independent investigation by the ICPC into the allegations, protection and support for the victim, including legal, psychological, and social assistance, a review of FUOYE’s internal policies on sexual harassment and the implementation of systemic reforms, as well as legislative oversight by relevant Senate and House Committees to address institutional failures in handling sexual harassment cases in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
The signatories to the petition expressed confidence in the ICPC’s ability to ensure justice and urged all stakeholders to prioritize transparency and fairness in addressing the case. They called on the Ministry of Education and the National Universities Commission to strengthen anti-harassment frameworks and protect victims of workplace abuse.
This petition is expected to spark widespread attention and further advocacy for addressing workplace harassment in Nigerian universities.
All eyes are now on the ICPC and other authorities to act decisively and uphold justice.
