UNIBEN lecturer, Ekundayo, laments suspension, withheld salaries

Disengaged Abia varsity VC canvasses support for successor
A lecturer with the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Dr Omowumi Olabode Steven Ekundayo, who was standing trial over alleged sexual assault (rape) on a female student, and who was discharged and acquitted recently by an Edo State High Court sitting in Benin City, has called for the lifting of his suspension.

Ekundayo, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of English and Literature at the university, made this call in a chat with newsmen in Benin City, yesterday. He was accused of sexually assaulting a final-year female student of the department in his office on October 5, 2021. Consequently, he was issued a query and placed on interdiction pending the final determination of the case in court by the management of the university.

The presiding judge for the case, Justice Mary Itsueli, while upholding the no-case submission filed by the defence counsel and former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Edo State, Dr Osagie Obayuwana, maintained that the prosecution team failed to tender the University of Benin Health Centre’s medical report in court as an exhibit during the trial, which negates the claims of the claimant and UNIBEN.

IN another development, the suddenly disengaged eighth substantive Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU), Prof. Maxwell Onyemachi Ogbulu, has urged the university workers and community to support and cooperate with his successor and the new Governing Council to ensure the continuous growth of the university even after his exit from office.

His sudden disengagement along with his two Deputy Vice Chancellors (DVCs), Ogbonnaya Onuoha and Godwin Emezue, and Bursar, was announced to journalists by the state’s Information Commissioner, Okey Kanu, after the state executive council meeting.

Kanu said that the development was a fallout of the report of the visitation panel instituted by the governor, Dr Alex Otti/Visitor to the university, to look into the university activities.

He also announced the appointment of Catherine Uju Ifejika, Agwu U. Agwu (a former Speaker of Abia House of Assembly) and Prof. Ndukwe Okeudo as the university’s new Chancellor, Pro-Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor respectively, including Dr Onwubiko Dike as a member of the Governing Council, all with effect from November 1, 2024.