FUOYE SCANDAL: POWER CRUSHING TRUTH

FUOYE SCANDAL: POWER CRUSHING TRUTH 

Published: April 11, 2025 

In universities where truth and fairness should matter most, something very wrong is happening at Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE). The recent statement from the university's Governing Council is not just paperwork – it shows a plan to silence those who speak up and protect those with power. 

A Clear Cover-Up 

Let's be honest: Council Chairman Victor Ndoma-Egba is working with Vice-Chancellor Prof. Abayomi Fasina to crush those who dared to report wrongdoing. 

The Council's statement uses fancy words to hide what's really happening – a harsh attack on people who did their duty. The SSANU Chairman and Secretary reported bad behavior and now must lose half their pay and write apologies. What did they do wrong? They simply did their jobs with honesty. 

The Hidden Trap 

What makes this even worse is when it's happening. We know that Vice-Chancellor Fasina already warned these union officials about suing them for defamation via a Pre-action notice sent to the SSANU National back in December 2024. Now think about this: The Council demands written apologies within seven days – papers that could be used as evidence in the VC's lawsuit. 

Is this justice, or is it a trap? 

Engineer Folasade Adebayo, who reported harassment and bullying, is now being painted as someone who just wanted to trick her way into a job. They say she secretly recorded conversations as "blackmail." 

But they don't talk about why someone in her position might need such proof in the first place. 

Using Power as a Weapon 

The Council's actions follow a disturbing pattern: 

1. Suspend people who report problems before any investigation 

2. Create a committee that isn't fair 

3. Pick and choose which evidence matters 

4. Force victims to apologize 

5. Pretend everything was done properly 

Chairman Ndoma-Egba,(SAN) used to be a Senate Leader. He should know better about fairness and proper process. Making victims write apologies is a terrible abuse of power – and seems designed to help the 

Vice-Chancellor win his lawsuit. 

Questions We Must Ask

To everyone who cares about Nigerian education: 

What happens when the people meant to protect fairness become the ones destroying it? 

How can staff report bad behavior when doing so gets them punished? 

If recording proof of wrongdoing is punished while the wrongdoing itself is ignored, what can victims do? 

Most importantly: Should forced apologies, demanded while legal action is threatened, be allowed as evidence in court? 

Why This Matters to Everyone 

This isn't just about one university. It's about accountability in all our public institutions. When people who speak up are punished and powerful people are protected, the message is clear: Power matters more than truth. 

The Council wants to create a "Peace and Reconciliation Committee" while forcing humiliating apologies from those who sought justice. Real peace cannot start with forced surrender. 

What Should Be Done 

To Engineer Adebayo and the SSANU officials: Keep records of everything. These demanded apologies aren't about making peace – they could be weapons in a court case. 

To the Ministry of Education and National Universities Commission: You need to step in now. When universities fail to protect those who report wrongdoing, outside help is needed. 

To the Nigerian public: Pay attention. Today it's FUOYE – tomorrow it could be any place where truth becomes inconvenient for powerful people. 

A healthy democracy doesn't just have institutions – it has institutions that value justice more than power. 

What's happening at FUOYE shows what happens when institutions become tools to crush people rather than protect fairness. 

The question now isn't just whether justice will win at FUOYE, but whether our schools will remain places where truth can be spoken without fear of punishment. 

Written by an Jolayomi Segun, independent education analyst fighting for accountability in our institutions.