The University of Lagos, Lagos State, has responded to the reported sexual harassment of a postgraduate student by two senior lecturers. A postgraduate student named Miss Jennifer Utulu filed a petition with the Independent Corrupt Practises and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), accusing two of her lecturers of abusing their positions and sexually harassing her.
The accused lecturers from the Department of Creative Arts, Dr Felix Emoruwa and Dr Adebisi Ademakinwa (associate professor), allegedly persistently harassed Miss Utulu. They refused to supervise her PhD thesis unless she consented to their sexual demands.
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Utulu petitioned that her lecturers stall her postgraduate degree programme due to her refusal to engage in sexual acts with them. The June 23, 2023 petition to ICPC Chairman Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye accuses Dr. Felix Emoruwa and Dr. Adebisi Ademakinwa of corruptly demanding sexual favours from Miss Jennifer Utulu while supervising her postgraduate degree thesis at the Department of Creative Arts, University of Lagos. This violates Sections 12 and 14 of the Corrupt Practises and Other Related Offences Act No. 6 of 2003.
The petitioner’s counsel appealed to the anti-corruption agency to protect her client during the investigation and prosecution. The University Management stated that it has zero tolerance for harassment, including sexual impropriety, and has policies against it. The University of Lagos (UNILAG) Management is aware of reports about a Postgraduate Student Petitioning the ICPC over sexual harassment. An investigative panel has been formed to address the allegations against two lecturers in the Department of Creative Arts.
A panel chaired by a geosciences professor has submitted its findings to the university management for further action, following the university’s established procedure. The procedure involves multiple university arms and stages to ensure fairness and thoroughness for all parties. The decisions on allegations will be communicated at the end of the process. The University reaffirms its zero-tolerance for harassment, particularly sexual impropriety, and has an established policy against it.
