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•Varsity faults sexual misconduct against VC aspirant
The management of the Babcock University (BU) Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, has assured Nigerians that the appointment of the next President/Vice Chancellor will follow the laid down rules and criteria of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church.
The university in a statement signed by the Director of Marketing and Communication, Dr. Joshua Suleiman, reaffirmed to stakeholders, students, staff, alumni, parents, and the general public that the ongoing process of appointing the next president/vice chancellor of BU remains transparent, just, fair, and guided solely by merit and service.
Reacting to an online platform story that the ongoing VC selection exercise has been compromised, the BU management described the publication as false and from an unknown group while insisting that no staff bears the name of the person who signed the release.
He added: “The university’s legacy of moral integrity, spiritual depth, and academic excellence will never be compromised. Babcock University remains committed to its mission of building servant leaders for Nigeria, Africa, and the world.”
Suleiman described the online report as baseless, fabricated, mischievous and malicious. He warned that the university would not hesitate to seek legal redress against those bent on tarnishing its image.
According to him, the report published September 12, 2025, claimed that a certain advocacy group, Apostles Seventh-Day Adventist, allegedly led by one Elder Samson Fasasi, opposed the candidacy of Prof. Afolarin Olutunde Ojewole, a former Vice President for Spiritual Life of BU, based on alleged sexual misconduct.
The image-maker of BU, who dismissed the story, noted that neither it nor its proprietors, the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, recognised the existence of such a group or its purported coordinator (Fasasi).
He said as far as BU is concerned, these names and the individuals are fictitious, and self-seekers who are masquerading under an unregistered body.
The university clarified that Prof. Ojewole, who until his leave of absence in 2018 served as the university pastor and vice president for spiritual life, has never been accused, dismissed, or sanctioned for sexual misconduct.
The statement added that Ojewole’s leave of absence was processed in line with the university policy for family reasons, not as part of any cover-up.
Suleiman disclosed that the 2025 Governing Council Search Committee operates under strict spiritual, ethical, and procedural standards, guided by long-standing policies of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, which runs over 118 tertiary institutions globally.
He explained that the appointment of its president/vice-chancellor is not political or subject to lobbying but rather, it is a spiritual and merit-based process rooted in moral uprightness, intellectual capacity, emotional stability, and service.
The university dismissed allegations that the outgoing vice chancellor unilaterally altered BU policies to favour a particular candidate.
The statement added that the by-laws of BU can only be amended through four distinct layers—Administration, Senate, Governing Council, and Board of Trustees.
According to the statement, the most recent amendments were lawfully carried out by the governing council and board of trustees of BU.
The university described the online report as a “calculated attempt to undermine the integrity of the university, sow discord among the faithful, and tarnish a transparent process.”
The statement however advised the VC candidates and their supporters to avoid falsehood, propaganda, and blackmail in the leadership transition process.
