Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife (OAU) has released a statement concerning sexual harassment allegations made against one of its former lecturers Dr. Francis Fakoya.
The statement, released by the university’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olarewaju, said it has zero tolerance for any form of harassment.
A former student of Fakoya, Funke Dezarn, had shared the story of how the lecturer had failed her twice after she refused his sexual advances.
St. George’s University in Grenada, West Indies, where Fakoya now lectures, had earlier, released a statement promising to look into the issue and take appropriate action.
OAU, in the statement released, said the school is ready to cooperate with St. George’s University, the alleged victim, and any other group.
OAU described the allegation as grievous, adding that students and staff of the school are encouraged to report any form of harassment to the university management.
Read the full statement below:
“The attention of the management of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, has been drawn to an allegation of sexual harassment, trending on social media, levelled against one Dr. Francis Andy Fakoya, a former lecturer in the Department of Anatomy of our university.
Fakoya had left the services of the university about 15 years ago.
The allegation against him, which purportedly occurred while still in the employment of the university, is considered by the management to be too grievous.
We are prepared to fully cooperate with the Medical School of St. George’s University, Caribbean Island, the alleged victim(s), and or any other group, to fully investigate the allegation and get to the root of the matter.
We wish to inform the general public, particularly the stakeholders in the education sector, that the Management of OAU has zero tolerance for any form of harassment, and most especially, sexual harassment, in whatever guise.
The university also prides itself in having one of the best established Centre for Gender and Policy Studies in the world.
Our students and staff are hereby encouraged to report any form of sexual, material or financial harassment to the university management or to the Centre for Gender and Policy Studies, which is technically and administratively saddled with the responsibility of fighting sexual abuse and gender discrimination, for immediate action.”
