The management of Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile Ife, Osun State, has queried Professor Richard Akindele, who was recently accused of demanding sex from a female student in order to influence her marks. Recall that this week, an audio recording of a telephone conversation between a yet-to-be identified female student and Prof. Akindele emerged, wherein the lecturer was heard requesting five rounds of sex in exchange for an improved examination mark.
Speaking on what the University has done so far relating to the matter, the Public Relations Officer of OAU, Abiodun Olanrewaju while appearing on a radio programme, Rave FM Osogbo, the Osun state capital said the matter was still being investigated as the Prof. Akindele had already been issued query. He, however, lamented that the student has refused to appear before the management to formally speak on the matter.
“We have put machinery in motion to ascertain the veracity of the claims and identify the characters involved. As I am talking to you now, the management has taken a position which we will be working on now.
“On the day that the audio was leaked, the vice chancellor and other principal officers of the university acted, including the legal director of the university.
We set up a committee and the vice chancellor gave the committee one week to submit its report. After that, we will know what to do.
“The incident happened last year. We have been calling her (the student’s) line, but she is not responding to her calls again. We learnt that she confided in someone that she did not want the appointment of the man (lecturer) to be terminated because of her case. The panel has been set up and query has been given to the man; but we need somebody to come up that she was the one that was sexually harassed and the person is not in sight.”
