The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina, has been suspended by the institution’s Governing Council following allegations of sexual harassment leveled against him by a senior university official, Engr. Folasade Adebayo.
The decision was reached during the Council’s 7th Emergency Meeting held online on Monday, April 14, 2025. A statement confirming the suspension was issued by the university’s Registrar and Secretary to the Governing Council, Mufutau A. Ibrahim.
The statement noted that Prof. Fasina had requested to proceed on his accumulated Annual and Research Leave, which the Council approved for six months—amounting to 126 working days out of his total 228-day entitlement—effective immediately.
“In addition, the Governing Council appointed Prof. Olubunmi S. Shittu, the incumbent Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics, and the most senior of the three Deputy Vice-Chancellors, as the Acting Vice-Chancellor for a period of six months, effective from today, Monday, 14th April 2025,” the statement added.
This development follows mounting pressure from the Federal Ministry of Education over the Council’s previous handling of the matter. Sources revealed that Education Minister, Dr. Tunji Alausa, was deeply displeased that the Council allegedly dismissed the complaint and instead compelled the complainant to apologise to the accused VC.
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“The Minister was angry that the case was not handled properly. He called the Chairman of the Governing Council, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN), to express his displeasure,” the source stated.
The minister’s intervention prompted Senator Ndoma-Egba to urgently convene an emergency meeting, where members resolved to act on the complaint. Though initially poised for suspension, Prof. Fasina was said to have pleaded to be allowed to proceed on leave instead.
To fill the leadership vacuum, Prof. Samuel Olubunmi Shittu, a Professor of Soil Science and current Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), has been appointed as Acting Vice-Chancellor of FUOYE for the next six months.