Monica Osagie, victim of the
sex-for-mark scandal rocking the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife,
says Richard Akindele, the professor at the centre of the crisis, was her mentor.
Osagie told CNN that she
developed a mentor-mentee relationship with Akindele after she helped him edit
his book.
She, however, said their
relationship went sour after he made sexual advances towards her.
Osagie claimed the professor
scored her low in his course as a bait to get her to succumb to his proposal.
“We actually edited the book
together,” Osagie said.
“Then, the next thing he told me
was, ‘Can you date me?’ I was like, ‘No.’ He was like, ‘Why?’ I said, ‘One, I
don’t date lecturers, and secondly, you are more matured than I am.’
“He kept calling me to ask if I
was ready to accept his proposal. So, I decided to record our next
conversation.”
Osaghie said she has faced
criticism since the leaked audio conversation between her and Akindele surfaced
online.
“She alleged she was referred to
as a “prostitute”.
“A guy came up to me at the bank
and said, ‘Is this not the girl who harassed a lecturer?’ and he called me a
prostitute,” she said.
“The security guard then had to
push me away to go withdraw my money inside the bank.”
Osage, however, said rather than
bow to intimidation, she is happy that she voiced out her experience.
“There is no work or … education
that is worth your dignity, I will keep saying that,” she said.
“I am actually happy I came out.
I am helping many ladies that have gone through the same thing I have gone
through, and most of them can’t talk about it.
“They are scared of coming out in
public. But I know it happens everywhere, not just in Nigeria.
“For me, speaking up will bring
more women to speak and eradicate what is happening around young women and
older men.”
Akindele reportedly refused to
comment on the matter when he was reached.
“I have nothing to say until the university
has concluded their investigation,” he was quoted to have said.
An investigative panel set up by
the institution to probe the case has suspended the professor indefinitely.
Akindele went into hiding after
the audio went viral on social media.
The father of three daughters is
an Anglican priest.
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