OAU lecturer scandal: Protest erupts as panel denies student legal representation
- The lawyers of Monica Osagie, the OAU female student involved in a scandal with Professor Richard Akindele have been denied entry to at a sitting
- One of the members denied entry to the venue was a representative of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi
- Afolabi said that so far the venue for the sitting is not known
The investigative panel set up by the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, to probe the alleged scandal involving The investigative panel set up by the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, to probe the alleged scandal involving Monica Osagie and Professor Richard Akindele, on Tuesday, April 24, prevented the victim from using any legal representation.
One of the members denied entry to the venue was a representative of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). While the venue for the sitting was still kept secret, the panel insisted that Osagie's lawyers would not be allowed entry, the Punch reports.
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But lawyers to Osagie led by Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, a gender activist and executive director of women advocates, research and documentation centre, protested that they must be allowed inside the venue.
She said: “The Secretary of the panel came to meet us in front of the OAU Amphitheatre and did not want to disclose the venue. For now, we don’t know where the venue will be and the panel is insisting that lawyers should not follow Monica Osagie into the venue as they don’t want any lawyer to be with them.
“The NHRC is also well represented here as an independent observer. But I have insisted that she won’t go there without her lawyers. But after our protest, they have now agreed that two lawyers from our end should be there. But we don’t know where they are going to sit.”
A letter of invitation dated Thursday, April 19, from the office of the secretary, post-graduate college, said Osagie should appear before the panel.
The letter with Ref. No: ADP 15/16/H/1424 entitled: “Re: Investigative panel on alleged harassment of a female student: Detailed audio recording: Request for the presentation of Miss Osagie Monica Oselode”, was signed by the OAU Deputy Registrar and Post-Graduate College Secretary, A.O. Fadeyibi.
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The letter read: “I write at the instance of the Provost, Post-Graduate College to invite you to appear before the investigative panel on alleged harassment of a female student detailed in audio recording at its meeting which will come up at 10:00am on Tuesday April 24 2018.
“Please be informed that on arrival, you are required to call the Secretary to the panel to facilitate your appearance before the panel. Thank you.”
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the congress of university academics at OAU and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) had called for a thorough investigation into the case of Akindele, the lecturer who allegedly demanded gratification from his student for marks.
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Source: Legit.ng
