..issued letter of withdrawal to another student for refusing him sex
Monday October 2, 2023
A fresh sex-for-marks scandal is again currently rocking the Federal University, Oye Ekiti as a 400-level student of the Dr Chiedu Abrifor.
Abrifor was accused by the students for sexually harassing them after several years of intimidation and promise to promise to failed them, the threat which he eventually carried out.
The allegation comes few years after a widely publicised scandal involving Dr Abrifor, another lecturer and then a sixteen years old lady who gave birth to a yet to be matured baby after inducement.
One of the students (name withheld) explained that Dr Abrifor has been a regular abuser of young and promising ladies in FUOYE without being cautioned or called to other by those who can do that.
“I have been in that school (FUOYE) for years and I must say that I have never for once disrespected any of my lecturers nor be wild in any way but, Dr abrifor had been making advances at me since my early year in that school, he makes me feel so uncomfortable even in his classes by pointing me out and making use of my name as examples etc.
He is so hostile at me since I turned his advances down and I never read a meaning to it since I don’t want any relationship with him in the first place.
Lately around July he threatened me in front of the class to make sure he spills me over since I have been avoiding his class . Which he did, I have been summoned twice for meetings by my dept board and it was a hassle . All sorts of insults and intimidation saying I’m trying to indite the dept for changing results”.
One of the affected students said he was on Monday 28th of August 2023, summoned by her HOD and upon arrival, there were other lecturers in attendance in his office where he was accused of telling someone outside the department about the problems she was facing in the department and was asked to write a letter of apology.
“While obeying the directive, I think it’s necessary to state the reasons that led to my being summoned.
I am in criminology and security studies department, Social Sciences Faculty, FUOYE.
I entered the school as a pre degree student in 2018. I once attended the 100 level classes with a friend who was a 100L student then just to have a cue of what undergraduate class would be.
On that day, I met Dr Abrifor for the first time, he noticed me and asked me for my details and I responded.
In year 2019, I gained admission to 100L and met him again as my lecturer.
From then on, he started to make advances at me for intimacy which I declined.
One Saturday afternoon, when i was still in 100L, I was summoned by Mr Yiwanda, one of the non academic staff who told me on phone that my file has not been completed and that I should come to the departmental office immediately.
On getting there, he apologised for lying to me and he said it was Dr Abrifor, the then HOD who ordered him to call me to come and see him . I met Dr Abrifor in an empty class where he asked me few questions about my late resumption and I explained to him the reasons. I made sure I maintained a distance despite his asking me to come closer.”
She added that, Abrifor proceeded by asking her to meet him anytime she need anything because he is interested in her.
” I was mentally disturbed and felt really uncomfortable with the whole encounter because I wasn’t expecting to be called all of a sudden to the point of talking in private alone with my lecturer. After much wasting of my time talking , I had to tell him I wasn’t comfortable with him and I left.”
The lady also revealed another ordeal she faced in Abrifor class in her 200L.
” Dr Abrifor often send me messages via sms back then to come and see him whenever I’m in need of anything but I don’t have the time for lecturer and student close private relationship, besides if I need anything my aunty is in school to give me.
She added that her Aunt is strict and always advise her me against having amorous relationships with lecturers.
“As times goes by, I discovered the man is hostile to me. If I see him and greet him, he will not answer me.
I was scared and informed my Aunty but she told me that I should respect all my lecturers and greet them whether they answer or not but to let her know if there is any harassment.
I tried to be polite whenever I am in his class but he always put me down in the presence of people. He tagged me useless and unserious student and I always feel miserable, uncomfortable and psychologically disturbed.
I withdrew into myself, tried to avoid him as much as possible and focused on my studies and never met him nor answer his calls up till date.”
She said Abirifor created that fear in her and most of her friends in the department kept their distance especially the guys.
” He never respond to me any time I need to speak with him on my academic challenges. I chose to study hard and get additional information to prepare and study to the best of my ability.
One the 6th of July after a class meeting, Dr Abrifor called me out in front of the class and said I will definitely have a spill over because I haven’t been attending his classes.
He has created so much fear in us all that we dare not question his actions . In my 400 first semester, I discoverd that I failed one course ( CSS 401) , I was so scared that I had to call my Auntie in the school to inform her and told her how I was earlier threatened by Dr Abrifor. She was so upset that I kept so much away from her and she went to check all my result from 100 level by herself. That was when she found out that I scored 38 in one of my first semester courses and out of all the students that wrote the paper, only me failed.
She was very angry and she said she will find out what the problem was. She also told me that if she found out that I failed because of my negligience then she will not be happy with me.
This led to my being summoned for a meeting in my department and the meeting comprised of my HOD and about 5 other lecturers.
I had earlier been queried and questioned in two separate meetings on why I reported the department to an outsider. I told them she is my Aunty and my guardian. I was scared because it is my final year and I have made several attempts to speak to Dr Abifor who supervised the course (401) taught by Dr. Ikuomola but he will never granted me audience.
They later asked me at the meeting why can’t I inform the HOD and I apologised despite the fact that I was mentally frustrated after the meeting, Dr Abrifor nearly slapped me in one of the meetings because I tried to inform the members present about the various private encounters I had with him including his open threats that he will make sure I have extra year but the HOD and other staff prevented him from slapping me.
I apologised to them that I don’t know what to do that was why I told my aunty about it before she found out by herself. She will kill me if she found out I have any stupid engagement with any of my male lecturers.
I have been asked to write an apology letter to both the faculty and the department.
Dr Abrifor said I should write in the letter stating that I alleged them of changing results which I never did.
The student described Abrifor
as mean person who has low self esteem the reason, why he projects his insecurities on people around him.
“Dr Arbifor manipulates people for a living, cursed at me, shouted at me and almost slapped me during the meetings i was summoned to, Dr Ken Egbo is the HOD of the dept but he hasn’t taken any action towards the whole matter reason best known to him as well Mrs Akomolede, who she was in support of the whole thing even told me to write an apology letter to the department as well as the school.
They once called my dad and told him to write an apology letter apologizing to them and send to their email . Dr abrifor has always had his way in the school system because no one can stand against him.
The dept has become a joke because no one is willing to speak their minds including the lecturers because they know what he’s capable of doing.”
This reporter had a chat with the HOD, Ken Egbo on this development but Egbo said the department is aware about the whole and that the University management is doing all it could under the Vice Chancellor is working on it.
Also, the University Public Relation Relation, Mr Foluso Ogunmodede however denied the knowledge of the whole scandal saying the management is yet to be informed as at the time the reporter called for his reaction.
Ogunmodede who disclosed that the Vice Chancellor was not in town last week promised to take up the matter.
Also the office of the wife of the Ekiti state Governor, has also waded into the issue.
The said lecturer also few years ago issued a letter of withdrawal to another student in his department because the lady refuses his sexual advancement. The lady is currently undergoing a part time programme in the school after being shown the way out by the same Abrifor.
The victims while speaking with this reporter expressed their readiness to pursue the matter and gives evidences whenever the school management invites them to do so.
It will be recalled that similar incident happened few years ago when a lecturer was dismissed from the university after he was indicted for demanding sex from a female student to help improve her grades.
