The Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile -Ife, has vowed to assist in investigations launched by St. George University over a sexual harassment allegation involving a former lecturer of the department of Anatomy of the institution, Francis Fakoya.
This was contained in a statement signed by the public relations officer of the university, Abiodun Olanrewaju, and released on Monday.
The school said though the lecturer left the university about 15 years ago, it considered the allegation against him (Mr. Fakoya) too grievous to ignore.
The statement read in part:
“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.”
The university also enjoined its students to report any form of sexual and financial harassment to the Centre for Gender and Policy Studies, which it added, ”is technically and administratively saddled with the responsibility of fighting sexual abuse and gender discrimination for immediate action.”
Funke Dezarn, a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, last week accused Mr. Fakoya through a Facebook post of sexual harassment.
