The Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) has appointed Professor Olubunmi Shittu as Acting Vice-Chancellor, following the sudden exit of Professor Abayomi Fasina, who requested to proceed on his accumulated leave.
The decision, which was ratified during an emergency meeting of the university’s governing council, comes months after Fasina became embroiled in a high-profile sexual harassment and staff victimisation controversy.
University spokesperson, Foluso Ogunmodede, confirmed the development to our correspondent on Monday. “The council approved six months, being 126 working days of Fasina’s total entitlement of 228 days,” he explained, adding that the leave is expected to begin on April 14, 2025. Although Fasina’s tenure was set to end in February 2026, his exit paves the way for the selection process of a substantive vice-chancellor.
Professor Shittu, who has served as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academics, will assume the acting role for the next six months. While Ogunmodede maintained that Fasina’s leave is unrelated to the controversy surrounding his administration, the timing of his departure has sparked renewed public interest.
In late 2024, Fasina was accused by Folashade Adebayo, a female senior lecturer, of sexual harassment and professional victimisation. The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) backed the allegations, stating that Fasina not only made inappropriate advances toward Adebayo but also removed her from her office after she rebuffed him.
These serious allegations led to widespread calls for an independent investigation into the university’s leadership. In response, the governing council set up a committee to probe the matter and later cleared Fasina of any wrongdoing. Despite the clearance, the incident left a stain on his leadership and drew attention to governance issues at the institution.
Ogunmodede, in an effort to manage the narrative, reiterated to US that “the leave is unrelated to the assault controversy,” a statement that may do little to quell speculation as the university transitions under new leadership.
With Shittu now at the helm, the next few months are expected to be critical for FUOYE as it works to stabilise its administration and restore confidence within its academic community.
