Vice-Chancellor suspended over sexual harassment

The Governing Council of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) in Ekiti State has suspended the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Fasina, following allegations of sexual harassment made against him by a senior university official, Engr. Folasade Adebayo.

The VC’s suspension was made known via a statement issued by the university’s Registrar and Secretary to the Governing Council, Mufutau Ibrahim, on Monday, April 14, 2025.

The statement read in part: “The Governing Council of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) at its 7th Emergency Meeting held online on Monday, 14th April 2025, considered the request of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina, to proceed on his accumulated Annual and Research Leave and approved six (6) months, being 126 working days out of his total entitlements of 228 days with effect from today, Monday, 14th April 2025.

“In addition, the Governing Council appointed Prof. Olubunmi S. Shittu, the incumbent Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics, who is also the most senior of the three (3) Deputy Vice-Chancellors, as the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University for a period of six (6) months with effect from today, Monday, 14th April 2025.”

The latest development comes after the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, expressed strong dissatisfaction with the earlier handling of the case by the council.

The minister, according to a source was “very angry” that the council allegedly dismissed the sexual harassment complaint and instead asked the complainant to apologise to the Vice-Chancellor.

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“He was unhappy that the Council tried to sweep the sexual harassment complaint under the carpet and rather told the complainant to apologise. He called the Chairman of the Governing Council, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN), to register his displeasure,” the source said.

Prompted by the minister’s intervention, Senator Ndoma-Egba convened an emergency online meeting of the Governing Council at 2:00 p.m. on Monday.

At the meeting, members resolved to suspend Fasina. However, the embattled Vice-Chancellor reportedly appealed to be allowed to proceed on his accumulated leave instead of facing a direct suspension.

In the interim, the council has appointed Prof. Samuel Olubunmi Shittu, a Professor of Soil Science and the current Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), as the Acting Vice-Chancellor.

The Star