Joshua Dada
The authorities of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife has dismissed Professor Richard I. Akindele of the Department of Accounting, Faculty of Administration from the service of the institution for indulging in gross misconduct bothering on sexual harassment of female students.
Akindele, a senior lecturer was dismissed after he was found liable to all the allegations of sexually harassing his student among others, Miss Monica Osagie.
Addressing journalists at the institution yesterday, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede disclosed that the university arrived at the dismissal option following the recommendation of the Joint Committee of Council and Senate constituted to probe the allegation.
The Vice-Chancellor disclosed that the erring professor had an inappropriate relationship with Osagie as established through their conversations in the audio recording.
According to Ogunbodede, Akindele acted in a manner that is seen to have compromised his position as a teacher and examiner, in that, his conversations with Osagie were about examination scores and inducement of favour for the alteration of examination scores.
“He offered to change Miss Osagie’s purported 33 per cent result to a pass mark in consideration for sexual favours, this was established in the audio recording which he admitted.
“His claim that Osagie knew that she had passed with a score of 45 per cent 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.
“Professor Akindele’s action in requesting sexual favour from Osagie to change her examination score was scandalous behavior that has brought ridicule to the name of the University and have tarnished the reputation of the University, as it portrays the university as an institution where its teachers and examiners trade marks for sex,” said Ogunbodede.
Ogunbodede disclosed that the University is creating awareness and disseminating information on what constitute sexual harassment within the University and noting the veracity of sexual harassment concept which include sexual solicitation, sex exploitation among others.
According to the Vice Chancellor, OAU is fully committed to the eradication of sexual and any other harassment from tertiary institutions and will do all that is possible to nip the menace in the bud. – Leadership
