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| Professor Abayomi Sunday Fasina. |
A civic group, Justice Vanguard, has dismissed media reports claiming that the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Professor Abayomi Sunday Fasina, was suspended from his position.
The group’s Coordinator, Mr. Obafemi Ajayi, described the reports as false and misleading, clarifying that the Vice Chancellor was never suspended but was only on officially approved leave.
In a statement, Ajayi explained that Professor Fasina’s six-month leave was properly approved by the university’s Governing Council in April 2025, following public service regulations, and that he resumed his duties on October 14, 2025.
He further stated that the Vice Chancellor had already been cleared of all allegations of sexual harassment by the Police and by two separate investigative panels—one set up by the former Pro-Chancellor and the other by the current Council leadership.
“The Vice Chancellor was never suspended. He was on duly approved leave. He was cleared of allegations of sexual harassment by the Police and two panels set up by the previous Pro-Chancellor and the current one,” Ajayi clarified.
Ajayi condemned attempts by certain individuals to distort facts about the university’s leadership, saying such actions were unfortunate and capable of diverting attention from FUOYE’s notable achievements in recent years. He urged the public to ignore such reports, describing them as “contrived distractions” from the university’s success story.
Reacting to a circulating video showing a guard of honour mounted during the resumption of key university officials, Ajayi explained that the practice is part of FUOYE’s tradition.
He noted that the guard of honour is a ceremonial custom extended to principal officers whenever they assume office. The video in question, he said, simply captured a routine ceremonial practice that has long been part of the university’s culture.
“It is not peculiar to any individual. In fact both the Vice Chancellor and Pro-Chancellor were also welcomed with the same honour on assumption of duty,” Ajayi clarified.
He added that such gestures symbolise respect, discipline, and order within the institution, stressing that similar traditions are found in many Nigerian universities.
“FUOYE is a model of rapid academic and infrastructural growth in Nigeria’s university system. The Council and management have maintained transparency, stability, and accountability, and stakeholders should not allow misinformation to derail that progress,” he said.
Ajayi commended the FUOYE community for maintaining peace during the Vice Chancellor’s leave, praising staff and students for their discipline and unity.
He highlighted that FUOYE’s recent performance in global rankings and its strong research output have reinforced its image as one of Nigeria’s most progressive and forward-looking universities.
The university was recently listed among Nigeria’s top 15 institutions in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026 and remains one of the most sought-after in the country, according to Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) data.
FUOYE also gained international recognition when four of its lecturers — Prof. Olayide Samuel Lawal, Dr. Adeolu Adesoji Adediran, Prof. Bukola Olalekan Bolaji, and Prof. Basiru Olaitan Ajiboye — were named among the world’s top 2% scientists in the 2025 ranking by the Top Scientists Network (TopSciNet).
The TopSciNet report praised the researchers’ outstanding impact, citations, and productivity, noting that FUOYE’s inclusion reflected its increasing global academic reputation.
Ajayi described the recognition as “a testament to the leadership of Professor Fasina and his team, whose commitment to excellence has placed FUOYE on the global academic map.”
He urged all stakeholders to remain focused on sustaining the university’s drive for innovation, research, and infrastructure rather than being swayed by “distractive narratives propagated by a few individuals with ulterior motives.”
“What FUOYE has achieved in less than fifteen years is remarkable. The Vice Chancellor’s administration has deepened a culture of merit, discipline, and innovation. These gains should not be undermined by falsehood or sensationalism,” Ajayi stated.
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