OAU student appears before university’s panel, testifies against alleged randy professor
- Monica Osagie appears before a panel constituted by the Obafemi Awolowo University to investigate the allegation against Prof Richard Akindele
- Security operatives barred journalists and students from entering the venue of the sitting
- Nkechi Obiagbaoso says she and two other lawyers are standing for Monica
Monica Osagie, the student who alleged that Prof Richard Akindele at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun, demanded to sleep with her for marks has appeared before an investigative committee of the institution.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Osagie, a postgraduate student in the masters of business programme, had released a recorded telephone conversation, which went viral, in which the lecturer allegedly made the demand in return for marks.
The committee, which held its session at the pro-chancellor’s lodge on the campus, allowed only Osagie and her lawyer into the venue.
The report said journalists, students and some members of the National Human Right Commission who came to witness the sitting were not allowed into the venue of the sitting by security personnel of the institution who manned the entrance.
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The vice-chancellor of the university, Prof Eyitope Ogunnbodede, confirmed to journalists that Osagie was appearing before the committee.
Ogunnbodede, who spoke as though he was not aware that newsmen were already outside the venue, said that he could not disclose the venue of the sitting.
“The lady is appearing before the committee. Members of the committee told me that the lady came and she is appearing before them but I cannot disclose the venue to you,” the vice chancellor said.
Nkechi Obiagbaoso, a legal officer for Women Advocate Research and Documentation Centre, Abuja, said she and two other lawyers were present to represent Osagie.
NAN reports that Obiagbaoso, who spoke with newsmen outside the venue of the sitting, said that two of the lawyers were allowed into the venue of panel sitting while she was asked to stay outside adding that the former venue used for the investigation was changed because of the crowd that might be interested in the case.
Ogunnbodede had earlier confirmed the suspension of Akindele adding that he had received and considered the interim report of the committee set up to investigate the allegation of harassment revealed in the audio recording.
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Ogunnbodede also said that the female voice in the audio had been identified as that of Monica Osetobe Osagie, a postgraduate student in the Master of Business Administration regular programme.
The vice chancellor said that though the investigative committee invited both Akindele and Osagie, only the don had appeared before the committee.
“The university is making efforts to ensure that Osagie appears before the investigative committee so that it can hear her side of the case and promptly submit its final report,” he had said.
NAIJ.com earlier reported that Monica Osagie enied shunning an invitation by the panel probing the audio tapes of her conversation with Professor Richard Akindele, who allegedly demanded to sleep with her.
Osagie reportedly made the denial via her proxy, Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, the founder of Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre, a non-profit organisation.
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Source: Naija.ng