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Miss Monica Osagie, student of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, who alleged Prof. Richard Akindele demanded sex from her, for marks, stood by her claims when she appeared before the institution’s investigative committee, yesterday.
Osagie, a postgraduate student in the Masters of Business programme, had released a recorded telephone conversation, which went viral, in which the lecturer identified as Prof. Richard Akindele, allegedly demanded sex for marks.
The committee, which held its session at the Pro-Chancellor’s Lodge on the campus, allowed only Osagie and her lawyer into the venue.
Her defence counsel, Dr. Abiola Akinyode-Afolabi, said her client affirmed before the panel, that Prof. Akindele deliberately failed her because she refused his sexual demand.
Journalists, students and some members of the National Human Rights Commission, who came to witness the sitting were not allowed into the venue by security personnel of the institution, who manned the entrance.
Akinyode-Afolabi, who spoke with newsmen after the closed door session, which lasted for more than seven hours, said Osagie told the panel that she passed the course, but was later failed by the don, because of her refusal to sleep with him.
She said Osagie narrated in details what transpired between her and the don, and added that lawyers present at the meeting were not allowed to make any contribution.
Akinyode-Afolabi, who is the executive director for Human Advocate Research and Documentation Centre, Abuja, said Osagie also informed the panel that she recorded the conversation between her and the professor as evidence.
She said Osagie also informed the panel that she reported the sexual harassment by the don to some lecturers in the university, but no action was taken.
Akinyode-Afolabi said some lawyers, who represented the lecturers, who, Osagie claimed she reported the case to, also appeared before the panel.
She said Osagie told the panel that she did not score 33 percent as alleged, but was failed, so she could bow to Akindele’s demand.
Meanwhile, there was protest, yestreday morning, at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, as the probe panel attempted to deny a lawyer of the student access to its proceedings.
Miss Osagie’s lawyer, who is a representative of the National Human Rights Commission, and journalists were denied entry by the school’s security personnel to the Pro–Chancellor’ s Lodge on the campus, where the investigative panel was sitting.
But, the student’s lawyers, led by the Executive Director of Women Advocates, Research and Documentation Centre, Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, protested that they must be allowed to watch the panel’s proceedings.
After several hours of engagement, one of the lawyers was permitted to enter with Miss Osagie for the session to begin, but journalists were not allowed in. The Vice Chancellor of the university, Eyitope Ogunbodede, confirmed Miss Osagie’s appearance before the panel.
