OAU fires lecturer over sexual misconduct with student

….OAU says it is determined to crack down on sexual intimidation, harassment, and/or coercion.

….Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) maintains its zero tolerance to sexual harassment

Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife has sacked a lecturer of the Department of English over sexual misconduct involving a female student.

Dr Adebayo Mosobalaje, popularly called Mosob on campus, was dismissed by the institution’s governing council, according to a statement released on Tuesday, September 7, 2021.

The decision followed an investigation launched into allegations of sexual misdemeanor made against the lecturer by a student of his department.

University spokesperson, Abiodun Olarewaju, said the council’s ruling is testament to the institution’s determination to crack down on sexual intimidation, harassment, and/or coercion.

“Having exhaustively deliberated on the report of the Joint Committee of Council and Senate, which investigated the case of sexual harassment against Mosobalaje, the University Council, unambiguously declared its zero tolerance to sexual harassment in any form or guise and, accordingly, applied the appropriate University sanctions for such an offence as contained in the University regulation,” he said.

The university similarly sacked another lecturer, Prof. Richard Akindele, three years ago after he was found guilty of demanding sex from a female postgraduate student in exchange for improved grades.

The professor was later found guilty of sexual harassment by a Federal High Court in Osogbo and imprisoned for two years.