OAU sex scandal: ‘I am ready to appear before panel’

Human rights attorney and gender activist, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, said yesterday that contrary to claim by the management of Obafemi Awolowo University, (OAU) Ile -Ife, that Miss Monica Osagie, the lady in the centre of the raging sexfor-marks scandal, shunned the panel probing the matter, she was never invited.

In what appeared as a reaction to the statement issued by the OAU management on Thursday, establishing a prima facie case against Prof. Richard Akindele, alleged to have demanded sex for marks from the lady and claiming that she has not appeared before the panel, Monica through Dr. Akiyode-Afolabi, expressed her willingness to appear before the panel.

In a statement made available to our correspondent in Lagos, Akiyode-Afolabi said she has been in contact with Ms. Osagie and has her instructions to “inform the management of her willingness to appear before any school panel if and when duly invited.” Akiyode-Afolabi demanded thorough investigation into the ‘sexploitation’ of Ms Monica Osagie, an MBA regular student of the university and called on the school authorities “not to compromise the reputation of “the old and respected university” and its responsibility to protect its students.

She called on the school to ensure due diligence in the case, while expressing concern about sexual exploitation which according to her “has reached pandemic proportions in our universities”.

She said the trend has festered “because institutions have failed to put in place appropriate mechanisms for complaint and redress relating to sexual harassment”.

According to the women rights activist, Ms Osagie made efforts to inform senior members of the Faculty of Administration about her predicament but that no one was able or willing to intervene, leaving her to resort to self- help.