FUOYE Crisis Deepens: Council Chair Accused of Silencing Whistleblowers, Rejects Appeal for Withheld Salaries

Akin Akinsoluga

The governance crisis rocking the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) has taken a darker turn, as new revelations point to what staff describe as a deliberate campaign to punish whistleblowers and shield abuse of power under the guise of council authority.

At the centre of the storm is Engr. Mrs. Folasade Adebayo, a senior staff member at the Directorate of Works and Services, who was reportedly sexually harassed by former Vice Chancellor, Professor Sunday Fasina. Instead of receiving institutional support, Adebayo was asked to tender a written apology for exposing the abuse, a directive that continues to generate widespread condemnation.

But she’s not alone in this ordeal:

The university’s SSANU branch chairman and secretary, who courageously brought the harassment case to public attention, were swiftly suspended. Months later, their salaries remain withheld, despite multiple appeals and calls for justice. And now, fresh investigations reveal a disturbing pattern behind these decisions.

“Not approved! Not approved!”

These were the repeated words of Council Chairman Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, who, according to credible internal sources, shouted down any attempt by other council members to review the sanctions.

“He didn’t allow any deliberation. The rejection of the appeal for salary payment was not a council consensus, it was the chairman’s personal decree,” a source familiar with the meeting disclosed.

The phrase “Not approved,” staff say, has now become a symbol of authoritarianism, as it reportedly marked the end of discussions the moment anyone raised the issue of either Adebayo’s victimisation or the union leaders’ suspension.

The situation paints a troubling picture as Adebayo is being punished for resisting abuse, and the union leaders are being punished for defending her. The university council, instead of being impartial, is allegedly enabling the injustice.

Sources also confirmed that Engr. Mrs. Adebayo never received a copy of the internal investigation report, despite her written rejection of its findings. The council, instead, through a July memo signed by Registrar Mufutau Ibrahim, insisted she must apologise within 14 days or face unspecified consequences.

This, observers and some union leaders say, is a gross abuse of process, especially as the accused Professor Fasina has used the courts to block ICPC investigations into the matter and reportedly filed a defamation suit against Adebayo.

“It is not just an attack on a woman who spoke up,” said a member SSANU NAC . “It is a chilling message to every staff: if you ever challenge power, especially on moral grounds, you’ll be isolated and crushed. We will resist this injustice!”

When contacted, Acting Vice Chancellor Prof. Olubunmi Shittu confirmed the university management had no hand in the decisions, stressing:

“This is a council matter. The management has no power over it. All directives came from the council, and specifically the chairman.”

Union, Staff, and civil society organisations are now calling for a full-scale investigation into the conduct of the governing council, alleging a pattern of unilateralism, intimidation, and suppression of dissent.

As of press time, neither the Registrar nor Senator Ndoma-Egba responded to messages seeking comments. But within FUOYE’s campuses, the silence is getting louder. Staff are whispering, students are watching. And the phrase “Not approved” once a procedural term has become a chilling reminder of how power can be used to protect the powerful and punish the brave.