…institutes whistleblowing policy against sexual harassment
Governing Council, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, has sacked the professor of Management and Accounting, Richard Akindele, for alleged sexual misconduct. This followed Akindele’s indictment by the report of the investigative panel, and the subsequent adoption by the Senate of the institution.
This was as the university expressed its commitment to eradicate sexual and other types of harassments, saying it would do everything possible to nip the menace in the bud. It added that a whistleblowing policy had been instituted to deal with similar situations in future. Rising from its sitting yesterday, the Council, chaired by the journalist-turned publisher, Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi, noted that having considered the recommendations of the Senate, as well as the report of the Joint Committee of Council and Senate, “decided that Professor Richard Akindele should be dismissed from the services of the university for gross misconduct.”
In a statement issued and personally signed by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede, the university said it confirmed the allegation of sexual harassment against one of its Masters of Business Administration’s students, Ms. Monica Osagie, by Akindele as true; an action it said merited his summary dismissal from the service of the institution.
According to the university, Akindele was established to have had an inappropriate relationship with his student, Miss Osagie, through their audio conversations; Akindele’s reply to his query; his oral evidence and the printed ‘WhatsApp conversations’ tendered before the investigative committee.
The statement reads in part: “The Council, at its meeting of today, Wednesday, 20th of June, 2018, having considered the recommendation of Senate, as well as the report of the Joint Committee of Council and Senate, decided that Professor Richard I. Akindele should be dismissed from the services of the university for gross misconduct.
“The university has also taken further steps to ensure the total elimination of Sexual Harassment (SH) in the OAU community. The university has a legal duty to prevent sexual and gender-based harassment within the institution and ensure that both men and women are protected from this menace; and thereby provide conducive environment for teaching and learning.”
Meanwhile, the university said Akindele had acted in a manner that was seen to have compromised his position as a teacher and examiner, by offering to change Miss Osagie’s purported “33%” result to a pass mark in consideration for sexual favours, saying this was established in the audio recording which he admitted.
“His claim that Miss Osagie knew that she had passed with a score of ‘45’ but was seeking to score an ‘A’ and that this led to him being sexually harassed by Miss Osagie cannot be supported by any evidence; Akindele’s actions in requesting for sexual favours from Miss Osagie to change her examination scores was scandalous behaviour that has brought ridicule to the name of the university and has tarnished the reputation of the university, as it portrays the university as an institution where its teachers and examiners trade marks for sexual favours,” the university added. Osagie’s guardian and counsellor, who is the Executive Director of Women Advocates, Research and Documentation (WARDC), Mrs. Abiola Akiode-Afolabi, has commended the OUA management’s decision to sack Akindele
She said: “This is a victory not for Monica alone but for all students in Nigerian schools. It is an unprecedented victory. We hope it will be a lesson for other predators. It has been a tortious journey.
We do hope lessons are learnt by all. For the institutions, it is important moving forward that mechanisms are in place to check mate sexual harassment.
“There should a whistle-blower policy that can protect informants from being further victimised. School system should be more accessible and sensitive to students’ situations. We commend OAU for ensuring that justice is seen as done. It should send a warning that sexual harassment is an offence never to be treated with impunity. We commend the bravery of Monica for daring to speak out.”
