The Governing Council of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) has cleared the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abayomi Fasina, of sexual harassment allegations made by the former Director of Works, Mrs Folasade Adebayo.
The allegations, which had drawn public attention and internal tensions within the university, led to the formation of an investigative panel by the council in February. The panel was mandated to probe the claims, which were strongly backed by the FUOYE chapter of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).
According to a statement released by the university’s registrar, Mr Muftau Ibrahim, the council met on Tuesday to deliberate on the committee’s findings. During the meeting, the Vice-Chancellor was asked to recuse himself to allow free and impartial discussions.
The statement revealed that the council examined multiple pieces of evidence including audio recordings, transcripts, official correspondences, minutes of management meetings, and a prior report by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). The police report had previously cleared Professor Fasina, as Mrs Adebayo reportedly stated during their investigation that she was not sexually harassed.
While audio recordings of conversations between the VC and Mrs Adebayo were played during the meeting, the council noted they were not subjected to forensic analysis. Despite that, the council concluded there was no basis for the harassment claim and criticised Mrs Adebayo for recording the VC without his consent.
The council stated that Mrs Adebayo’s claim of being unjustly removed from her acting position was misleading, clarifying that her tenure had simply expired.
In a related development, the council also addressed the suspension of two SSANU-FUOYE officials Chairman Benjamin Faleye and Secretary Ayomikun Aluko who were earlier sanctioned for releasing a communique accusing the VC without following due process. While their suspensions have now been lifted, they are required to forfeit half of their salaries for the suspension period and must submit letters of apology and commitment to university regulations within seven days.
To address broader issues, the council announced plans to establish policies on cyberbullying, social media use, and community engagement. It also resolved to set up a Peace and Reconciliation Committee to foster unity and address lingering disputes within the institution.
The council’s decisions mark a significant turning point in the controversy, reaffirming its commitment to fairness, accountability, and institutional harmony at FUOYE.
