FUOYE VC Abayomi Fasina Faces Sexual Harassment Allegation Amid Claims of Intimidation and Abuse of Power
Sexual harassment in Nigerian universities is an issue that has long been swept under the rug, often buried beneath layers of bureaucracy, power dynamics, and victim-blaming. However, a recent case at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) has brought these concerns to the forefront once again. The case involves Professor Abayomi Fasina, the university’s Vice Chancellor, and Mrs. Folasade Adebayo, a married deputy director at the Directorate of Works and Services.
An investigation by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) reveals how Adebayo faced relentless intimidation and victimisation after rejecting Fasina’s repeated advances. This report sheds light on her harrowing ordeal, the institutional failure to protect her, and the ongoing struggle for justice.
A Promotion That Came With a Price
Adebayo joined FUOYE as a chief engineer in the physical planning and works department on January 2, 2012. She had always been a diligent worker, earning multiple commendations from the university management. In 2015, she applied for the position of deputy director but was denied the promotion for unclear reasons.
However, when Fasina became Vice Chancellor in 2021, he revisited several issues, including staff promotion. This gave Adebayo a chance to re-present her case, and the governing council eventually approved her promotion, backdating her deputy directorship to 2015.
With this new position, Adebayo now worked directly under Fasina. That was when the trouble began.
A VC’s Obsession and Harassment
According to Adebayo’s letter to the FUOYE governing council, Fasina wasted no time in making his intentions clear. He openly expressed his sexual interest in her, boasting that he had ignored other “beautiful but not intelligent” women in the university because he wanted her.
Adebayo repeatedly turned him down. But instead of backing off, Fasina became aggressive, subjecting her to public embarrassment, verbal harassment, and undeserved queries.
The situation escalated on September 22, 2023, when Fasina publicly humiliated her by walking her out of a management meeting, declaring that he never wanted to see her again.
The victimisation continued, leading to her removal as acting director on December 31, 2023. By January 4, 2024, she was redeployed to the Ikole Campus as an ordinary staff member in engineering services, stripped of her leadership role.
The humiliation and intimidation took a toll on Adebayo’s mental health, leading to depression and insomnia.
False Allegations and Unjust Queries
As if the public embarrassment was not enough, Fasina turned to blackmail. He spread false rumors that Adebayo had attempted to seduce him, forcing her to defend her integrity before colleagues and students.
The Vice Chancellor then orchestrated a query against her, accusing her of unilaterally hiring a contractor for the construction of the Gross Laboratory for Anatomy Building—an essential project for FUOYE’s College of Medicine accreditation.
However, Adebayo provided evidence that Fasina himself had sought approval from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) on May 26, 2023. The approval response came on July 17, 2023, contradicting his claim that he was unaware of the project.
Despite this evidence, a subordinate acting as the new director of works was ordered to issue Adebayo a query.
Another baseless query came when Adebayo was absent from work on July 26, 2024. Her leave had been approved by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olubunmi Shittu, yet she was still issued a query three days later.
These repeated incidents of intimidation were clear attempts to break her spirit.
A Twist: The Police Get Involved
In a shocking turn of events, Adebayo was invited by the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU) in Ikoyi, Lagos, after an unnamed NGO petitioned the Inspector-General of Police regarding financial mismanagement at FUOYE.
During her questioning, she was informed that she had been named as a witness to an alleged sexual misconduct by the Vice Chancellor.
Adebayo provided her testimony, confirming that Fasina had made advances toward her but had never physically touched her. Despite this, the police later released a report claiming that she had exonerated Fasina of any wrongdoing—an assertion she strongly denied.
She revealed that she had even submitted recorded audio evidence of Fasina’s harassment to the police, yet the investigation’s outcome seemed manipulated.
“The police were pleading with me not to take this matter up because they had enough evidence to destroy the image of the vice chancellor,” she said.
Despite all this, the university continued to deny her requests for medical leave, further worsening her situation.
Internal Investigations and the Role of FUOYE’s SSANU
With no governing council in place at the time, Adebayo reported her case to the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) in February 2024.
SSANU Chairman, Benjamin Faleye, confirmed that the union had been investigating the case, but with the Vice Chancellor himself being the highest authority, they had limited options.
Their concerns intensified when the harassment escalated into full-blown victimisation.
“We would not have been particular about the issue, but it had graduated to victimisation,” Faleye said. “Someone declining your offer should not lead to unlawful queries and workplace intimidation.”
When a governing council was finally appointed, Faleye and his team escalated the matter to the new chairman, Victor Ndoma-Egba.
Documents showed that the former chairman, Kayode Ojo, had already begun looking into the allegations before leaving office. Ojo had convened a meeting in Abuja on September 16, 2024, where Adebayo, Fasina, and SSANU leaders were present.
During the meeting, Adebayo was pressured to drop the case. She, however, insisted on justice.
Three months later, the university suspended both Faleye and SSANU Secretary, Ayomikun Aluko, for their involvement in the matter.
Fasina’s Response Through His Lawyers
Despite mounting evidence, Fasina’s legal representatives have continued to dismiss the allegations.
His special adviser, Dayo Sobowale, claimed that since Adebayo admitted Fasina never physically touched her, there was no harassment.
“She was promoted three times by this VC. How is that harassment?” Sobowale asked.
Additionally, a statement from the chambers of Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa asserted that the police had “exonerated” Fasina.
But Adebayo has insisted that this narrative is false. She maintains that she never absolved Fasina of misconduct and that the police findings were manipulated.
Adebayo’s Quest for Justice
As of now, Adebayo is still seeking justice. She has made three key demands:
- Clearing her name from the fraudulent claims regarding the College of Medicine building.
- An end to workplace harassment and restoration of her position.
- Formal correction of the damaging rumors spread against her.
Despite internal investigations confirming abuse of power, justice remains elusive.
FUOYE’s Directorate of Gender Studies has long advocated for victims of sexual harassment to speak up. “Sexual harassers are predators,” a post on the school’s Facebook page read. “They don’t stop unless someone makes them.”
Yet, in Adebayo’s case, the institution meant to protect her has instead turned a blind eye.
Will FUOYE’s governing council take a stand against sexual harassment? Or will Adebayo’s cries for justice go unanswered?
The case of Professor Abayomi Fasina and Folasade Adebayo serves as a crucial test for Nigeria’s universities. Will they uphold integrity, or will power and intimidation continue to silence victims?
Only time will tell.
Source :FIJ
