The Senate through its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, has summoned the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof Kayode Adebowale over alleged conspiracy and assault against a senior female lecturer, Dr Adenike Ogunshe of the Department of Microbiology.
Ogunshe, whose appointment was terminated by the institution about seven years ago, had petitioned the Senate to compel the university authorities to obey a court judgment that directed that she must be reinstated.
The senior lecturer, who claimed that her sacking had deprived her of becoming the first female professor of microbiology in Nigeria, dragged the Vice Chancellor and the Registrar of the University before the Senate.
Reading part of her petition before his panel at its last sitting on Thursday, the Chairman of the panel, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, said Ogunshe, alleged that there was a grand conspiracy against her.
Akinyelure said, “This woman alleged that there was a grand conspiracy by the University against her person; her career; her existence, and human rights due to the controversial appointment of Dr Onilude as acting Head of the Department between 2005 and 2006.
“She requests that the Senate should look into the matter and among other things, urge the University to stop further victimization, dehumanization, and physical assault, against her.
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“She also urges us to investigate the controversial appointment of Dr Onilude as Professor at the University of Ibadan, which remains contestable.
“Dr Adenike A.O. Ogunshe and the authorities of the University of Ibadan were invited to appear before the Committee on the 7th of December 2021.
“Dr Ogunshe appeared and made a presentation while a representative of UI, Barr. Adegoke Adekunle told the Committee that he came to request another date to enable the University to make a presentation.”
Akinyelure lamented that several invitations extended to the authorities of the University to appear before his panel had yielded no positive results.
He said the Senate might take appropriate sanctions against the Vice Chancellor he failed to appear in person before the panel this week.
The Senator said, “We are warning the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan to respect the Nigerian Senate as a critical democratic institution.
“This woman would have been the first professor of Microbiology in the whole of Nigeria but she was denied.
“If the authorities of the University of Ibadan failed to appear before the Senate next (this) week and explain why this woman should not be reinstated, we would recommend sanctions against the institution
“The woman went to court to challenge her termination of appointment and the Court voided the action of the University.
