Members of the Civil Society Coalition on the Leadership of the Federal University of Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) have absolved the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Sunday Abayomi Fasina, of any indulgence in sexual harassment and staff victimisation.
At a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, the coalition led by Comrade Shuaib Abdulkadir also faulted claims by members of the FUOYO Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) that Fasina also indulges in administrative recklessness and financial impropriety.
It described the allegations as baseless, politically motivated, and designed to tarnish the reputation of a leader whose impact speaks volumes.
Abdulkadir said the allegations of a hostile work environment and staff victimisation were at odds with the reality at FUOYE, as Fasina’s leadership style had been known for being accessible, inclusive, and empathetic.
He said Fasina treated all staff members, irrespective of rank or position, as colleagues and equal partners in the university’s progress. On several occasions, he had used his resources to support employees facing challenges.
He says, “Fasina is a disciplined administrator known for attending to official correspondence promptly, ensuring that no official communication goes unanswered for more than 24 hours. He remains unblemished given the unprecedented financial growth in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) compared to any previous administration in FUOYE’s history and its prudent usage on numerous infrastructural and academic projects now visible across the institution.”
The coalition insisted that his decision to appoint teaching staff to certain administrative roles was correct since it was a strategic move to fill critical operational gaps and enhance institutional efficiency.
“We find it curious that, out of the five unions operating within FUOYE, only SSANU has persistently attacked the Vice Chancellor. This selective criticism strongly suggests that the attacks are motivated by personal vendettas rather than genuine institutional concerns,” the coalition noted.
“Furthermore, the timing of these allegations, surfacing almost immediately after the reassignment of the Council Chairman, raises questions about their credibility and intent. It appears these claims are part of a calculated effort to destabilise the university’s management, possibly linked to succession politics. We would not be surprised if more such spurious campaigns emerge in the coming days.
“We categorically state that these allegations are unfounded and are designed to distract the Vice-Chancellor from his transformative agenda. As civil society organisations, we are committed to standing against these tactics and ensuring that the progress of FUOYE under Fasina is not derailed,” Abdulkadir said.
Therefore, he called on security agencies and relevant authorities to investigate the sources of these malicious claims and hold those responsible for attempting to tarnish the reputation of an administration that has brought unprecedented growth to FUOYE.
