A lecturer at the Department of African Language Department, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, Prof. Joseph Opefeyitimi, has reacted to the accusation of sexual assault leveled against him by one of his students.
The Star had earlier reported that the female student accused Prof. Opefeyitimi of sexually harassing her.
The student, who said her lecturer subjected her to physical and emotional torture, accused Opefeyitimi, a Professor of Yoruba Incantations and Stylistics at the African Language Department, of sexually molesting her during a visit to the lecturer’s office on March 18, 2022.
Responding to the allegation, the lecturer, who disclosed the name of the female student as Babafemi Boluwatife Hannah, said he had promised to marry the student.
Opefeyitimi noted that all that happened in his office was consensual, saying the student called for it.
He made this known in a letter addressed to the Head of the Department of Linguistics and African Languages, OAU, a copy of which was obtained by The Star on Wednesday.
The letter was titled, ‘Re: Report of sexual assault and molestation against Professor Joseph A. Opefeyitimi’.
Prof. Opefeyitimi further revealed that he has been dating Boluwatife for about four years, adding that the accusation was a ploy to escape marrying him.
The lecturer, however, said his lawyer should be allowed to witness the probe panel sittings.
He stated: “Truly Babafemi Boluwatife Hannah was in my office on Thursday 17th day of March, 2022. All that happened in my office was consensual and she was the one that called for it.
“I never knew she had a grand masters’ plan for me. I thought as husband and wife to be right from before she got admission into our department I could leave her to treat me the way she wanted. I called her as a result of the situation in town because she lives there and she actually came to update me.
“There are too many lies in her write-ups. For instance, while paragraph three was true, paragraph four was self-contradictory.
READ ALSO: OAU student accuses lecturer of sexual assault, narrates incident
“Again, her claim of indecent assault in paragraph eleven that I, “sexually assaulted and violated” her between 1:23p.m. she entered into my office and the 2p.m. I had to take my son from school, which I did, must be substantiated because it has turned the whole allegation from civility, tending towards criminality. This is why I am involving a lawyer.
“I am suggesting by the way of appeal that my lawyer be made to witness all proceedings relating to this case. In fact, I will be grateful if he could be made to sit if only as an observer at today’s 12 noon Department panel.
“In summary, Boluwatife is my wife-to-be. She was responsible for all that happened in my office on that day. If, after four years of dating, waiting to consummate our union, she suddenly turned around to cleverly take pictures of my body parts as evidence to indict me.
“I must not handle the case alone since my wife at home is privy to our relationship. Since our relationship was being planned towards marriage after her graduation, I already took my wife into confidence, even though the lady wants the relationship to be kept secret. It is now I can understand why she wanted the relationship to be kept secret and that she had never been sincere.
“I want the panel to discountenance and dismiss the petition. It is a ploy to escape marrying me despite her promise and all the assistance I have rendered for her including the awards she had taken within the period of her studentship.”
The student had in her petition narrated: “My name is XXX with matric no. XXX. I am writing to inform you about the unpleasant experience I had with one of my lecturers in the person of Prof. Opefeyitimi on Friday 18th of March, 2022.
“He sent me a WhatsApp message on Thursday 17th asking me to see him in his office the following day between 8a.m. and 2p.m. As a lecturer who I respected so much, I obliged and never questioned his order.
“I got to his office around 1:23p.m. He told me that he only wanted to ask about what was going on the campus since he wasn’t on campus the previous day.
“I was astounded to hear that but I told him to take the Road 7 route when ready to go home because road 1 was blocked.
“He asked me to sit down and he asked me the reason why the road was blocked then I told him that I didn’t really know and heard that it was all about the appointment of the new VC.
“He decided to leave the office immediately and he packed his things saying that I was God-sent to him because it was almost 2p.m. and he needed to pick up his son from the school.
“He carried the bag and we were about to leave the office, I offered to help him with the bag but he declined and I headed to the door.
“He grabbed me from behind and held me so tight. At this point I was in shock, then he said and I quote “Mo fẹ́ kí èmi àti ẹ jọ wà papọ̀ ni [thrice] but problem tí mo ní tẹ́lẹ̀ ni boy XXX yẹn but mi ò rò pé ó yẹ kó jẹ́ problem mọ́.”
“At this point, he already dropped the big bag he was carrying and he held me with his other hand.
“He made me sit on his lap and was groping me, he then said again “Mi ò mọ bí a ṣe fẹ́ ṣe é tí o fi máa graduate pẹ̀lú 2:1 kí o lè padà wá ṣe Masters”.
“Then I told him that he should let me go and that I will come back to see him some other day just to free myself of him.
“He didn’t answer me when I said that but he stood up from the chair still forcefully holding me and dragged me to the couch in his office.
“By this time he already pulled down his trousers, brought out his erect penis.
“He grabbed my right hand, and used it to rub his sexual penis. It happened so quickly that I was petrified.
“He continued to rub his penis and I was so distressed by the entire situation that I lost count of time.”
The student added: “In order to appeal to him to release his hold on me, I then told him that I needed to leave his office immediately because I was already taking too long and someone was patiently waiting for me downstairs.
“But he replied me and said “Gbogbo time tí mo ní pẹ̀lú ẹ báyìí kò ju 5mins lọ, jọ̀wọ́ bá mi ṣe é mo kàn fẹ́ cum ni; I won’t touch you today please because I didn’t inform you before.”
“I begged him that I was not comfortable at all that he should please let me go, but he didn’t listen to me. He laid down on his couch and was using my hand to stroke his penis.
“At some point he stood up, dragged me to his table, turned my back to him and was rubbing his manhood on me. At this point, all my pleas to him to please release me fell on deaf ears.
“He pinned me there against the table, rubbing his penis on my back, repeating over and over again, “O ṣe é, O ṣe é.”
“Taking advantage of my vulnerability because he is physically stronger than me, he sexually assaulted, molested, and violated me.
“He used both his physical strength and high office and power as a professor in the Department of African Languages and Literatures to sexually impose himself on me, despite my pleas to him that I did not want his violent actions and forced attack on me.”
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