A Nigerian woman, Cynthia Tooley, has emerged as a whistleblower leading to the suspension of the her husband from University of Buckingham as Vice Chancellor.
She said her husband, Professor James Tooley, is in a controversial overseas relationship.
Tooley, who denies the allegations, was suspended from his £229,000-a-year role in October following accusations linked to a romantic involvement with a 25-year-old Indian woman, reports UK’s Daily Mail on Thursday
Cynthia reportedly raised the alarm by submitting the young woman’s diaries, which detailed the alleged relationship, to university authorities.
A mother of two, Cynthia was said to have married the British academic in February 2022 after a whirlwind romance.
However, the couple reportedly separated during the summer, leading to a breakdown in their relationship and communication via lawyers.
The controversy began on October 11, when Cynthia alerted the university about the alleged relationship.
This prompted an emergency meeting, resulting in the professor’s suspension and the launch of an independent inquiry into the claims.
In addition to the allegations about the relationship, Cynthia reportedly accused her estranged husband of possessing a “suspicious object” at his official residence.
Police were called to the property and removed a junior air rifle, but no further investigation followed.
University authorities confirmed the suspension in a letter to students, stating that “serious allegations” had been made against the vice-chancellor.
The letter emphasised that an independent inquiry was underway to verify the claims.
Citing his lawyers, Tooley described the allegations as “baseless and malicious,” expressing confidence in being vindicated.
He refrained from further comments, citing the ongoing investigation.
The Indian woman at the centre of the allegations defended Tooley, saying, “He was kind and thoughtful and always treated me with respect. Anyone who reads my diaries can see I was in love with him.”
