Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
Few days after the Registrar of the Federal University Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), Mr. Olatunbosun Odusanya, was sacked, the Bursar of the institution, Mrs. Bolatito Akande, has accused the management of the university of allegedly chasing and harassing her with security agencies after being ‘illegally’ suspended.
Akande, who was until May 7, 2021, the bursar of the university, regretted how the security agents deployed by the school Vice Chancellor, Prof Abayomi Fashina, had last Thursday prevented her from entering her office ‘despite not being found culpable of any offence’.
Odusanya, who was the immediate-past registrar, was last week sacked by the Governing Council of the university over alleged gross misconduct.
But the Special Adviser on Media Matters to the Vice Chancellor, Wole Balogun, denied the allegation, saying all the security men deployed were at the gate and could not have prevented anyone from entering her office.
Addressing journalists yesterday, Akande explained that the personal assistant to the vice-chancellor sent a message to her last week inundating her of a petition written by the Joint Action Committee against her, and that a panel has been set up by the management to probe all the allegations raised.
Akande said she found it demeaning, humiliating and dehumanising that she was harassed by security agencies while trying to gain access to her office last Thursday, saying such brigandage shouldn’t exist in any higher institution of learning.
According to her, “A text message was sent to me last week Wednesday by one Abayomi Kuku, that I was to appear before a panel of investigation last Thursday by 11 a.m. I honoured them, and immediately I left the venue of the panel and got back to my office, I met two security men at the entrance where I discovered that the office had been locked. The two men informed me that the order was from above.
“I put a call to the vice-chancellor to confirm the development, he told me that he never knew anything about it, that I should contact the Chief Security Officer of the institution.
“All my belongings, including the hand bag that I brought to the office that day, were locked inside the office. As I am talking to you, they are still inside the office; they didn’t allow me to have access to the office.
“Similarly, no single letter was given to me from the management of the institution, except the one sent to me by the personal assistant to the vice chancellor. In fact, I was chased out of office like a child, like a low-ranking officer. I found this unlawful, embarrassing and un-dignifying.”
However, a letter sent to the bursar on May 5, 2021, which was signed by the vice chancellor and entitled: ‘Suspension from the university’ read: “You would please note that the university Governing Council at the 23rd statutory meeting held on April 1, 2021, considered the allegations levied against you and the registrar by the Joint Action Committee of SSANU, NASU, and NAAT.
“It thereafter decided that a copy of the unions’ petition should be forwarded to you for your response.”
