Nigerian Senate investigates OAU sex-for-mark scandal
In the audio, the lecturer, Richard Akindele, a professor, requested five days of sex from Monica Osagie, a masters student of the institution. Even though OAU has investigated the case and placed the professor on indefinite suspension, the Senate said more needed to be done to stem the trend.
Presenting a motion on Wednesday, Biodun Olujimi (Ekiti-PDP) harped on the need to investigate the case and growing culture of sexual harassment in Nigerian institutions. Mrs Olujimi said an investigation by the lawmakers will ensure that the issue is not swept under the carpet like others.
She expressed worry that the case is just one out
of many sexual harassment bedevilling Nigerian higher institutions.
“The Senate is further worried that this is just
one out of the many cases that have come to limelight within the past decade
and it shows that the perversion is spreading across the country, with both the
male and female genders as victims, especially in view of the poor prosecution
and conviction numbers being turned out.”
She said, “The Senate further notes that on a
nearly daily basis our newspapers are awash with reports of rape and other
sexual violence; and we must, as the people’s parliament, bring them succour
and safety.
“The Senate observes that these acts damage our
children in very significant ways. That it also portrays our country in bad
light and are alien to both our cultural and religious orientation as a
people.”
The Senate mandated its committees on Tertiary
Institutions and Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to “carry-out a full
scale investigation of the case of Monica Osagie and the OAU lecturer in order
to ensure that there is transparency and accountability, and that satisfactory
justice is done to the victim involved and our laws are further strengthened
for effectiveness.”
It also urged the House of Representatives to move
quickly to concur with the Senate bill on Sexual Harassment in Tertiary
Educational Institutions (Prohibition) bill, which has been transmitted to the
House as this will provide succour and a window of solace for victims of this
kind of atrocities across the country in higher institutions of learning.
The lawmakers rejected a prayer to invite the OAU
authorities to explain the steps they had taken so far, on the argument that it
would be handled by the committees.
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