Varsity Suspends Lecturer over Alleged Sexual Harassment

By Victor Ogunje

The Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) has suspended one of its lecturers, Dr. Jonathan Mbachaga, over alleged sexual harassment.

Mbachaga was, until his suspension, an Associate Professor in the institution’s Department of Theatre and Media Arts.

A statement signed by the Chief Information Officer to the Vice Chancellor, Mr Foluso Ogunmodede, on Tuesday, said Mbachaga’s suspension came after a committee inaugurated by the institution to investigate the alleged sexual harassment established a prima facie evidence against the lecturer.

The embattled lecturer was suspended on the grounds of a prima facie evidence of sexual harassment established against him by a panel set up by the institution’s Faculty of Arts, which investigated the allegation.

However, the suspension, which takes immediate effect, would pave the way for a five-member committee set up by the school’s vice-chancellor to further probe the allegation with a view to getting to the root of the allegation of sexual harassment against the embattled lecturer.

The statement said: “The Vice-Chancellor of FUOYE, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina, who has zero tolerance for indiscipline and any form of sexual harassment against students of the institution, has consequently approved the suspension of Dr. Mbachaga to allow for proper investigation into the matter.

“The VC, Prof Abayomi Fashina, has also mandated the Dean, Faculty of Arts, Prof. Tajudeen Opoola, to conduct proper investigation into another allegation of sexual harassment against another lecturer in the same department, Dr. Agofure, and submit a report in due time for necessary actions.”