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Alleged Sexual Harassment; SSANU Rejects Probe Panel, Seeks Suspension Of VC
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) in the Western Zone of the country has rejected the composition of the committee to probe the Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Prof Abayomi Fasina.
In a letter to the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Council of FUOYE, the National vice-president of SSANU, Dr Abdussobur Olayiwola Salaam passed a vote of no confidence in the members of the committee and asked for the replacement of the members of the panel.
The Governing Council of FUOYE has set up a committee headed by Prof Joshua Ogunwole to investigate a sexual harassment allegation made against the Vice Chancellor by a senior staff of the university, Mrs Folasade Adebayo.
Other members of the panel included Mr Matthew Ngajiozor, Barrister Gowon Maxwell, Mrs Nike Omoworare, Hajia Nafisat Nahuche, Mr. Tope Arogundade and Barrister L. A. Eni.
But in a letter to the Chairman of the Governing Council, and copied to the Ministers of Education, Labour and Productivity, Women Affairs and the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the SSANU leadership demanded the suspension of the VC from office and the disbandment of the nine-man panel headed by Prof Ogunwole.
Salaam in his letter also faulted the terms of reference of the panel, which he said are skewed more towards investigating the source of the online reports rather than the veracity of the allegation of immorality, sexual harassment and victimization alleged against the Vice-Chancellor.
The Union said “The Composition of the Committee is in itself a source of worry, giving reason to doubt that fair hearing would be achieved on this matter.
“The inclusion of a Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Professor Joshua Ogunwole) on the Committee is tantamount to the Vice-Chancellor being on the Committee. By statute, a Deputy Vice-Chancellor is a nominee of the Vice-Chancellor and serves largely at the pleasure of his appointer.
“It is therefore definite that the membership of Prof Ogunwole being a vicarious party to the matter, would taint the outcome of the Panel’s report. We further insist that if for reasons best known to the Council the Deputy Vice-Chancellor remains a member of the Committee, then the National Secretariat of SSANU must be similarly represented on the Committee, to equally ensure that the interests of our member, Engineer Folashade Adebayo, our Branch Chairman, Benjamin Faleye and Secretary, Ayomikun Aluko are commensurately protected.”
On the continued stay of the VC in office, Salaam in his letter said “While the Union commends the Council for the courage in excusing the Vice-Chancellor from its meeting of Friday, 24th January 2024, we are still at a loss as to why the Vice- Chancellor has not been suspended over the allegations against him.
“It smacks of injustice and double standards that the Chairman and Secretary of SSANU were immediately suspended by the Council even before a Panel was constituted to investigate the issue, while the Vice-Chancellor, whose stay in office has a high potentiality of influencing the outcome of the Committee is allowed to continue to superintend over the affairs of the University.
“The powers of the Vice-Chancellor include approvals of funds for Council members and operations of Committees (not excluding the one under reference), approvals of release of university venues for meetings, and secretariat servicing the meetings among others. The Vice-Chancellor’s unbridled access to university documents, offices, officials and staff, while the investigations are ongoing, have grave implications for the outcome of the Committee.
“In fact, to keep the Vice-Chancellor in office unfettered is the greatest injustice that the Governing Council would be doing on this matter, more especially when our Branch Chairman and Secretary remain suspended.
“The Chairman of Council is urged to please realise that SSANU has a major stake in this matter. The career and life of our members, Mrs. Folashade Adebayo is on the line.
“The careers and livelihoods of our officers, Comrade Benjamin Faleye and Ayomikun Aluko have been threatened because whistleblowing has been criminalized in FUOYE.
“For the Union, these two officers have acted on our behalf in protecting the interests of our members and blowing the whistle on unhealthy practices at the workplace. The issues of sexual harassment and victimization are highly sensitive and should be treated with all sense of responsibility by the Council of FUOYE.”
Source: New Telegraph
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