Two senior lecturers of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka have been sacked after they were exposed in the sex-for-grades documentary by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), two years ago.
The embattled lecturers, Dr Boniface Igbeneghu of the Department of European Language and Integrated Studies and Dr Samuel Oladipo of the Department of Economics were found guilty of allegations of sexual harassment levelled against them.
The University had set up a panel to investigate the allegations of sexual harassment against two of its lecturers indicted in the sex-for-grades scandal.
Recall that in October 2019, the BBC produced a documentary exposing four lecturers – two from UNILAG and two from the University of Ghana, Legon – for allegedly harassing undercover reporters, who posed as students in need of help.
In the documentary that exposed the lecturers, an undercover reporter, Kiki Mordi, wore a secret camera, visited Igbeneghu, posing as a 17-year-old admission seeker. The clip went on to show the lecturer making sexual overtures to the reporter.
The lecturer, in one of the recorded meetings, described a section of the school’s staff club as the “cold room” where lecturers make out with female students.
“There’s an upper part of the staff club where lecturers take girls to for smooching and romance.”
When the BBC report came out, Igbeneghu and Oladipo were suspended in October 2019, UNILAG pending the outcome of investigations by the investigative panel set up to look into the matter.
The panel, headed by Prof Ayodele Atsenuwa, a professor of Public Law, who was then the Dean of Faculty of Law looked into the case.
A statement by the school said the governing body approved the dismissal of both lecturers over the allegations of sexual harassment levelled against them in a British Broadcasting Corporation World Service Investigative Series, Africa Eye.
The statement was signed by the Registrar, UNILAG, Mr Azeez Oladejo.
It reads, “The Governing Council of the University of Lagos, at its meeting on Monday, May 31, 2021, approved the immediate dismissal of Dr Boniface Igbeneghu of the Department of European Languages and Integration Studies, Faculty of Arts and Dr Samuel Omoniyi Oladipo of the Department of Economics, Faculty of Social Sciences, from the services of the University.
“Council, at its meeting, considered the report and findings of the Senate Committee set up to investigate the allegations of sexual harassment levelled against them in a British Broadcasting Corporation World Service Investigative Series titled, AFRICA EYE, (which centred on sexual harassment in tertiary institutions).
“The Council consequently decided and approved that both Dr Boniface Igbeneghu and Dr Samuel Omoniyi Oladipo be dismissed from the services of the university for misconduct, with effect from Monday, May 31, 2021 in line with section 18 of the University of Lagos Act 1967.
“Council further directed that the management should review the sexual harassment policy as may be necessary and institute effective strategies to prevent future occurrence.”
