Authorities of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State, have handed a lecturer in the institution, Monday Omo-Etan over to the police.
The lecturer was accused of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old in the institution’s Centre for Distance Learning.
OAU’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olanrewaju made the disclosure in a Wednesday statement.
According to the statement, “Less than three weeks after the Management of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, expressed its zero tolerance against sexual harassment by investigating and suspending a lecturer of the Department of International Relations, Mr Olabisi Olaleye, the university has suspended a worker of the OAU Centre for Distance Learning for sexually molesting a 19-year-old female student.
“The university has also handed over the tutor, Mr Monday Omo-Etan, to the police.
“The Management has reinstated her commitment to the total eradication of any form of sexual harassment, molestation or other social vices.”
The Herald recalls that Prof. Richard Akindele of the Accounting Department of OAU was in December 2018 handed a two-year prison sentence for sexually harassing an MSC student, Monica Osagie.
Justice Maureen Onyekenu of the Federal High Court, Osun, who delivered the judgement, said that the jail term passed on Akindele would help deter other lecturers from engaging in similar actions.
“The menace is getting to secondary and primary schools. I am a pastor and a counsellor. I know mental torture many of our female students have been subjected to by the likes of the respondent.
“The adverse effect of such action is huge. Many of his likes have been awarding marks to those students that are ready to warm their beds, thereby releasing half- baked graduates into the society,” the judge said.
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