Olusegun Awonusi, a professor of English and former vice
chancellor of Tai Solarin University of Education, accused of “habitual sexual
harassment” by a student has said the University of Lagos (UNILAG) has
exonerated him.
In May 2018, Joy Nwanna, a student of the institution,
released semi-nude photos of the lecturer through Linda Ikeji’s blog saying the
lecturer “was used to molesting students and that she was reaching out to the
public to curb his excesses.”
The action triggered anger and disgust from many Nigerians
including the President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
On May 31, 2018, UNILAG, in a statement by its spokesperson,
Taiwo Oloyede vowed to “thoroughly investigate the allegation”.
It then called for submission of memoranda by members of the
public which lasted for a month.
The panel was able to establish that the student involved is
Joy Nwana, who graduated from the Department of English in the 2015/2016
academic session but said: “claims made by Ms Nwana and Linda Ikeji Blog could
not be substantiated, because of their repeated absence at the panel’s enquiry
sessions.”
The institution said the attempt to get the duo to make
representations at “the sessions did not yield the desired results.”
However, it promised that the university would continue with
its investigations.
I’ve been exonerated
– Professor
Following the suspension of an associate professor, Boniface
Igbeneghu; former sub-dean of Faculty of Art and head pastor of a local branch
of the Foursquare Gospel Church after he was caught in a BBC video sexually
harassing an ‘admission seeker’, Our correspondent reached out to Mr Awonusi on
Monday.
The professor said during a telephone
interview that the panel raised by UNILAG to probe him did not find him guilty
of the allegations levelled against him.
“Let me simply say this… The
panel submitted their report and the university held two press conferences on
the findings of the panel and the thing has ended that way. I have done what
I’m expected to do.”
Asked if he is still a staff of
UNILAG, he said: “Precisely. What has to be done has been done. I have attended
interviews and authorities that should know are informed.”
Sex-for-mark practice is a common
problem in Nigerian institutions, which over the years may had been encouraged
by Nigerian universities due to their failure to appropriately sanction erring
lecturers.
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