Sex-for-mark: OAU lied, I was not invited by panel – student

The student of Obafemi Awolowo University, Monica Osagie, in the leaked sex-for-mark audio has denied the school’s probe panel invited her.

Ms Osagie was on record having conversation with Richard Akindele, pastor and professor of accounting and management, in the leaked audio in which the professor demanded to sleep with her five times to pass her.

Mr Akindele, whom the school said appeared before its probe panel, was placed on indefinite suspension by the management, having been found guilty of serious misconduct. The school said the panel invited the student, Ms Osagie, but she failed to appear.

“Although the Investigative Committee had invited both Professor Richard I. Akindele and Miss Osagie, only Professor Akindele had appeared before the Committee, while Miss Osagie is yet to appear or make any representation,” said the school in statement personally signed by Vice Chancellor Eyitope Ogunbodede on Thursday.

However, Ms Osagie, speaking through an NGO, Women Advocates for Research and Documentation Centre on Friday, said she was never invited by the panel.

“Let the university do what they are supposed to do by giving her proper invitation,” said Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, who runs the NGO, speaking for Ms Osagie. “They have all her records because she is their student. The panel has never invited her, so when the panel invites her today, she would come.”

“We are not comfortable with the university saying they invited her when they didn’t invite her. Her name is already out, the whole world is aware so we cannot say because of security and safety we won’t allow the truth to prevail.”

She challenged the school to provide evidence Ms Osagie was ever invited.

She also alleged that the school was aware of the case, but failed to act until it got ensnared in public attention after the audio leaked.

“Before the matter went viral, the university was aware of it and they did not do anything. If the case did not go viral, the university probably would not have done anything and it would have been swept under the carpet.

“I think that we should focus more on whether the act of that professor amounts to sexual harassment, whether it was a breach of the school’s code of conduct, whether it was a breach of terms of the contract for lecturers or whether he abused the relationship that should exist between lecturers and students.”

“Let the university do what they are supposed to do by giving her proper invitation. They have all her records because she is their student. The panel has never invited her, so when the panel invites her today, she would come,” she said.

She also said Ms Osagie only made the recording to serve as evidence against her lecturer which was given to people when she was seeking help.

Also in a recorded telephone conversation sent to PREMIUM TIMES, Ms Osagie said she was not invited.

“The management didn’t contact me,” she said. “They are lying. If they call me, I will honour them.”

Ms Osagie is a postgraduate student studying towards MBA at OAU.