Sexual harassment: Caribbean university investigates ex-OAU lecturer

AUTHORITIES of St George’s University (SGU), a private international institution in Grenada, West Indies, said it was investigating allegations of sexual misconduct against his Nigerian staff, Dr Francis Fakoya.

Fakoya, a former lecturer at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife, was earlier this week called out on sexual misconduct by a Facebook user Funke Dezarn.

Although Fakoya has since left OAU, his present employer SGU got wind of the allegation and decided to respond.

It released a statement via its Facebook page, promising to look into the issue and take appropriate action.

“St George’s University (SGU) has been made aware of allegations against a member of its faculty, while previously employed by a university in Nigeria.

“At SGU, we take all allegations of sexual misconduct very seriously.In light of these allegations, a thorough investigation into this matter has been initiated and appropriate action will be taken,” the statements read.

Dezarn alleged that Fakoya was her lecturer in the Anatomy Department of the University, who failed many students, including her, that ‘refused his sexual advances.’

She added that America’s Oprah Winfreh’s explosive speech on Jan.7 at the Golden Globe Awards, which emphasised “Time Up” to sexual harassment against women, spurned her to call out her former lecturer.

She claimed that Fakoya was in the habit of failing female students unless they slept with him.

She wrote: “Oprah’s speech on Golden Globe tonight inspired me to post this.

“Dr Francis Andy Fakoya of Anatomy Department OAU, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, you destroyed many young lives through your sexual harassments.

“As that was not enough, you used your power as a teacher to Medical Students, to fail any student that refused you.

“Some of the student victims repeated the class, some like me were lucky to have just a resit, while some were thrown out of Medical school.

“I chose to say NO to you and you failed me in Anatomy 2 times (Part 2 and Part 3), which are the only failures I have on my transcript!!! I remember your words to me both times, a day before both exams,

“Agree to sleep with me or you fail and resit the exam”.

“Wherever you are tonight, for all the lives you affected negatively, TIME’S UP!!! #metoo #Goldenglobe #Timesup #Oprahthankyou.

“Pls share this post as many times as can until this message gets to him! He destroyed too many lives.’’