FUOYE Alumnus Urges Peace as VC Resumes after six-month Leave Amid Sexual-harassment Allegations

The President of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) Alumni Association, Temitope Elijah Arogundade, has appealed for calm, peace, and unity within the university community as Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abayomi Sunday Fasina, prepares to return to office on October 14, 2025, following a six-month leave of absence.

In a statement made available to journalists over the weekend, Arogundade urged all stakeholders—including staff, students, alumni, and governing authorities—to prioritize the reputation and stability of the institution above personal or sectional interests. He emphasized that the university must remain focused and united, particularly as it approaches a critical leadership transition when Professor Fasina’s five-year tenure is expected to end in February 2026.

The alumni leader commended Professor Fasina’s administration for what he described as “transformational progress” in key areas such as information and communication technology (ICT), academic advancement, infrastructural expansion, and the strengthening of administrative processes. He lauded the vice-chancellor’s leadership style, which he said had positioned FUOYE among Nigeria’s fast-growing federal universities in less than a decade.

Professor Fasina, who had earlier applied for an 11-month accumulated leave, was granted six months by the university’s Governing Council. During his absence, Professor Olubunmi Shittu, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), served as Acting Vice-Chancellor. University officials clarified that the leave was primarily for academic and research-related engagements, allowing the vice-chancellor to pursue scholarly projects and strategic partnerships beneficial to the university.

However, Fasina’s leave coincided with a period of controversy within the institution, following allegations of sexual harassment and victimisation levelled against him by the former Director of Works, Engineer Folashade Adebayo. The Governing Council subsequently launched an investigation into the matter. After weeks of inquiry, the council exonerated the vice-chancellor of wrongdoing, describing the evidence against him as “unsubstantiated” and criticising the methods used in recording private conversations. The council further directed Adebayo to tender a written apology for misconduct and breach of official ethics.

While the council’s decision attracted mixed reactions—some observers faulted the transparency of the process—Arogundade has now called on all parties to “let bygones be bygones” and to focus on rebuilding trust and stability within the university community. According to him, “FUOYE belongs to all of us. No matter our differences, we must protect its image and continue to support the vision of excellence and innovation that the current administration has pursued.”

He also urged students to remain law-abiding and committed to their academic pursuits, reminding them that the university’s progress depends on collective responsibility. The Alumni Association, he added, would continue to play a mediatory role in fostering dialogue between the management, staff unions, and other interest groups to ensure lasting peace on campus.

With Professor Fasina’s imminent return, attention is expected to shift toward the selection process for a substantive successor—a process the alumni president described as “a defining moment for FUOYE’s institutional future.” He expressed optimism that the Governing Council and relevant authorities would ensure a transparent and merit-driven transition in line with the university’s statutes.

As the university community prepares to welcome Professor Fasina back to the saddle, stakeholders are hopeful that renewed dialogue, unity, and accountability will guide the next phase of FUOYE’s journey toward becoming a leading academic institution in Nigeria and beyond.