While the dust is yet to settle on the sexual molestation which saw the exit of Professor Atere of Criminology Department of the Federal University, Oye in Ekiti State, another Associate Professor in the department of Theatre and Media Arts, Dr. Desen Mbachaga, is in the news for the same offence.
Investigation by Franktalknow reveals that Dr. Mbachaga, the immediate past Head of Department of Theatre and Media Arts is facing a panel set up by the Faculty of Arts for allegedly molesting a female supervisee.
Franktalknow learnt that Mbachaga was fond of sexually harassing female students, especially those under his supervision.
He was said to be in the habit of deliberately failing female students that refused his sexual overtures. It was learnt that the case that finally landed him in trouble involved a student in the department who he made to lose one academic year because she refused to yield to his sexual demands.
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The student, it was learnt, was initially assigned to be supervised by a former head of the department, Dr, Femi Adeseye. However, upon his assumption as Head of Department, Dr. Mbachaga, was said to have re-assigned the student to himself. It was learnt that he had been asking the girl out since she was in 200 Level but she did not succumb.
Mbachaga, in a bid to frustrate the female student, told her that her project topic which had been initially approved by the former HOD, could only fly if the student was ready to provide N200, 000 to stage a drama, which at least 20 lecturers from different departments of the university would watch and at least 500 people would be the audience. The project was based on Child Abuse with special focus on peadophiles.
Since the female student did not have the resources to do such an elaborate drama, she was forced to drop the topic. It was further learnt that it took months for Mbachaga to eventually give the student a topic to work on after which he abandoned her to her fate. He kept on inviting the student to meet him in hotel and as she refused, he also refused to approve any of the chapters of her project until he slept with her.
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Sources revealed that the student told the university panel last week Friday that the lecturer slept with her two times in two different hotels before approving both Chapters 4 and 5 of her project. The lady was said to have told the panel that she allowed the lecturer to sleep with her because she was frustrated having lost one year already.
“Mbachaga wasted her time for a whole year. Anytime, she wanted to see him for supervision, he would tell her that he was on honeymoon because he got married a little over a year now,” a source close to the panel investigating the matter told franktalknow.
“After threats of failure and pressure, she eventually gave in against her will. Unfortunately however, despite sleeping with her, she still had a carryover,” the source added.
The student was said to have written a letter to the Dean, Faculty of Arts, Professor Tajudeen Opoola for help. Subsequently, the dean instructed the new HOD, Dr, (Mrs) Bakare, to set up a panel to investigate the matter.
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The panel, according to the Dean, should be headed by someone not below the rank of an Associate Professor since the person in question is an Associate Professor. He gave the HOD a week to submit the report.
The HOD said a panel had been constituted but she did not reveal the names of the panel members. Investigation however revealed that the panel constituted was headed by a Lecturer 1 officer which is a total disregard to the Dean’s order.
It is not clear if it was still the same panel constituted by the HOD that is handling the issue now but Franktalknow learnt that the panel invited the female student last Friday where she shared her story of sexual molestation.
When contacted, the Dean, Prof Opoola, confirmed that the faculty was investigating a case of sexual molestation that was brought forward by a female student.
The don, however, said that he could not comment on a case that is still being investigated, as it was still a mere allegation. He added that he would submit his report to the university authorities when the case is completed after which the university would issue a formal statement on the matter.
Similarly, the former HOD of the department, Dr Femi Adeseye, in response to Franktalknow enquiry, confirmed that he was the initial supervisor of the student.
He however said that it was the prerogative of the head of department to change student supervisors based on his goals and aspirations for the department.
He said, “In as much as I do not want to open my mouth to talk to the media, it is the prerogative of the HOD to assign a student to a supervisor. The records are there in the department, if you need anything, you can come to the department, If the HOD thinks he should change a student’s supervisor, all he needs to do is to tell the board, once the board approves, that’s all, so we can’t be imputing any meaning to the issue of change of supervisor,” he told franktalknow.
There are however fears that the university may want to bury this case, with many saying this would be a litmus test for the new Vice Chancellor, Professor Abayomi Fasina, who recently marked his 100 days in office.
Many students are said to be afraid to speak out for fear of victimization as there are even accusations of some junior lecturers collecting money from final year students to assist them in writing their long essay.
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