The Senate has summoned the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Kayode Adebowale, regarding allegations of assault, conspiracy, and victimization against a female lecturer, Dr. Adenike Ogunshe, from the Department of Microbiology. This directive was issued by the Senate’s committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions during a panel hearing in Abuja. The committee’s Chairman, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, highlighted that Dr. Ogunshe had submitted a petition to the Senate, seeking reinstatement after her appointment was terminated by the university approximately seven years ago.
In her petition, Dr. Ogunshe requested that the Senate compel the university authorities to comply with a court judgment that mandated her reinstatement. She asserted that the termination of her appointment had deprived her of the opportunity to become Nigeria’s first female professor of microbiology. Consequently, she urged the Senate to invite both the Vice Chancellor and the university’s Registrar for questioning. During the last panel session, Akinyelure read excerpts from her petition, which included allegations of a grand conspiracy against her.
Senator Akinyelure expressed frustration that multiple invitations extended to the university authorities to appear before the panel had not resulted in any positive response. He warned that the Senate might impose appropriate sanctions on the Vice Chancellor if he failed to appear in person at the next sitting. Akinyelure emphasized the importance of respecting the Senate as a vital democratic institution, stating, “This woman would have been the first Professor of Microbiology in the whole of Nigeria, but she was denied.”
He further warned that if the University of Ibadan authorities did not appear before the Senate the following week to explain why Dr. Ogunshe should not be reinstated, the Senate would recommend sanctions against the institution. He noted that Dr. Ogunshe had taken her case to court, which ruled in her favor by voiding the university’s termination of her appointment. Akinyelure pointed out that the university authorities had neither appealed the verdict nor applied for a stay of execution five months after the judgment was delivered.
The senator insisted that the Vice Chancellor must respect the laws of the land by adhering to the court’s judgment and reinstating Dr. Ogunshe. He warned that failure to do so would constitute a violation of the Nigerian constitution. Akinyelure further explained that potential sanctions against the institution could include withholding funds from the university. He stated, “The Senate might not hesitate to direct the Federal Ministry of Finance to stop releasing money to the authorities of the University of Ibadan to fund its 2023 budget if they fail to obey the laws of the land.”
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