Students of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), under the leadership of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), staged a protest on Wednesday, condemning what they described as an orchestrated attempt by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) Women’s Committee to destabilize the institution.
The protest was in reaction to a recent press conference held by the SSANU Women’s Committee in Otuoke, Bayelsa State, where the group called for the suspension of FUOYE’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abayomi Fasina, over an unsubstantiated allegation of sexual harassment allegedly made by Mrs. Folasade Adebayo, a senior staff member of the university.
During the demonstration, student leaders, including Comrade Olaniyan Eniola (Vice-President), Justice Victor Olaseni (Chief Justice of the Student Union Judicial Council), and Idowu Odunayo (Senator representing the Faculty of Law), decried the demand, calling it a baseless and politically motivated attack aimed at tarnishing the Vice-Chancellor’s reputation.
In a strongly worded statement, the protesting students accused the SSANU Women’s Committee, led by Mrs. Ijeoma Kalu, of spreading misinformation and engaging in media blackmail.
“We are appalled by the reckless and unfounded claims made by the SSANU Women’s Committee. It is shameful that a supposed union body would attempt to discredit our highly respected Vice-Chancellor with baseless accusations,” the students declared.
They further argued that the allegations lacked merit, pointing out that in Mrs. Adebayo’s official petition to the university’s Governing Council and her statements to the Nigerian Police, no mention of sexual harassment was made.
“Where did SSANU Women’s Committee fabricate this claim from? On what grounds are they demanding his suspension? This is nothing more than a politically motivated smear campaign, and it is bound to fail,” the statement added.
The students reiterated their full support for Professor Fasina’s administration, praising it as the most impactful in FUOYE’s history. They vowed to resist any attempt to destabilize the university through false allegations.
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