Vice Chancellor of the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Prof. Ignatius Onimawo, accused of sexual harassment, has debunked claims by Prof. Monday Igbafen that he was avoiding police authorities over a petition. Igbafen wrote against him.
Igbafen, an associate professor in the Department of Philosophy and chairman of the institution’s Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), was suspended by management of the university in February over alleged sexual harassment.
The vice-chancellor said there was no truth in the allegations that he refused to honor police invitations because he could not produce copies of the petition upon which Igbafen was suspended and, therefore, should be arrested for forgery.
Addressing journalists in Ekpoma to showcase his achievements as VC in the last three years, Onimawo, breaking his silence for the first time since Igbafen was suspended, said he has visited the police headquarters as well as the victim and her mother. He said the 2012 report indicted Igbafen and recommended that he should be arraigned before the Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee for further disciplinary actions.
“Igbafen is saying the police is after me. I laughed when I read about it that we should be arrested for forgery. I went to the commissioner of police when I was informed about the petition. I showed the commissioner the letter written by one engineer.
“The letter accused me of covering up the report that indicted Professor Igbafen. He threatened to drag me to ICPC and EFCC. I minuted on the letter to Igbafen and he replied that something like that happened many years ago and the matter was concluded.
“He said he believed that the people that wrote the letter were after me. The registrar brought the report and he was indicted. He was accused of sexual harassment. The panel found him culpable and they said he was accused of gross misconduct and abuse of office.
“We wrote back to him to say what he said was not true. We placed him on suspension until he was cleared and hell was let loose. He went online and all media to castigate me and my family. He dragged my wife into the matter, saying I promoted her from a typist to the lecturer. My wife is a Ph.D. holder.
“The police have concluded their report. The girl and her mother testified before the police. The girl said she lost job opportunities for five years. Igbafen kept this girl’s papers in his locker and traveled abroad. We have been keeping quiet. Since he wants to dance naked, we will let the world know what happened. A first letter that came from one lawyer said they didn’t send anybody to write the first letter but that does not exonerate Igbafen.
“This matter is no longer between the family and Igbafen. It is now between the university and Igbafen because it is against our ethics. He was given a fair hearing. The girl said Igbafen harassed her three times. They had to break into his office to produce the girl’s papers. We will prosecute any lecturer caught harassing students. Being an ASUU chairman does not give immunity to commit any crime”, the Vice-Chancellor said.
He announced that over 33 projects have been initiated with many completed by his administration in the university in the last three years and the feat was made possible with N3 billion High Impact Intervention Fund from the Tertiary Education Fund.
