Lifestyle

OAU dismisses lecturer for alleged sexual assault

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The Governing Council of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, has dismissed one of the institution’s lecturers, Dr. Adebayo Mosobalaje, for alleged sexual assault.

Mosobolaje, who was a senior lecturer at the Department of English Language at the university, was found guilty of sexual assault by an investigative panel set up by the council.

The varsity don was accused of sexually assaulting a female student of the institution.

The university’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olarewaju, confirmed the development is a statement titled: “Sexual harassment: OAU dismisses another lecturer,” on Tuesday.

The statement read: “In its avowed determination to rid the university of any form of sexual intimidation, harassment and, or coercion, the Governing Council of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, has dismissed another lecturer who was found guilty of sexual demeanor against a female student.

“The decision to dismiss Dr. Adebayo Mosobalaje of the Department of English Language in the Faculty of Arts was taken by the University Council at its last sitting on Tuesday, September 7th, 2021.

Having exhaustively deliberated on the report of the Joint Committee of Council and Senate, which investigated the case of sexual harassment against Mosobalaje, the University Council, unambiguously declared its zero tolerance for sexual harassment in any form or guise and, accordingly, applied the appropriate university sanctions for such an offence as contained in the university regulation.”

World News

Thousands march against sexual assault in Australia

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Tens of thousands of people have turned out to marches across Australia, protesting against the sexual abuse and harassment of women in the country.

They are spurred by a recent wave of allegations of sexual assault, centred around Australia’s parliament.

The allegations have focused scrutiny on the conservative government.

The protests were organised a week ago, after Attorney General Christian Porter revealed he was the subject of a 1988 rape allegation – which he denies.

A separate case – that of Brittany Higgins, an ex-political adviser who alleged in February that she was raped in a minister’s office in 2019 – has also fuelled public anger.

Protesters feel the government’s response to the sexual assault allegations has been inadequate.

Ms Higgins spoke to the thousands of protesters outside Parliament House on Monday, saying: “There is a horrible societal acceptance of sexual violence experienced by women in Australia.”

Brittany Higgins speaking at the Canberra March 4 Justice protest on Monday
image captionMs Higgins’ story has inspired other women to speak out

“My story was on the front page for the sole reason that it was a painful reminder to women that if it can happen in Parliament House, it can truly happen anywhere.”

What is happening at the protests?

The protest rallies – known as the March 4 Justice – formed from noon on Monday across 40 cities and towns in Australia including the major capital cities of Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne as well as smaller country towns.

Organisers predict it will be the “biggest uprising of women that Australia’s seen”.

Many protesters carried placards and wore black in protest. In Melbourne, protesters carried a long banner listing the names of women killed in acts of gendered violence in the past decade.

Aerial shot of the March4Justice crowd in Sydney
image captionThousands are estimated to have attended the march in Sydney
Locals gather into a hall in Mullumbimby for a March 4 Justice protest
image captionSmaller gatherings also took place in country towns like Mullumbimby

Organisers at the Canberra rally also presented a petition to lawmakers with over 90,000 signatures calling for greater accountability of sexist behaviours in parliament.

They have also called for Mr Porter to stand aside. Police have closed their case against the attorney general, but others have argued for a separate inquiry into the allegation against him.

How has the government responded?

Prime Minister Scott Morrison declined to meet the protesters despite their urging. On Sunday, he had invited a delegation to meet with him in Parliament House.

But this was rejected by the protest organisers who said the prime minister, as well as the government’s minister for women, should attend the rally and address their concerns there.

“We have already come to the front door, now it’s up to the Government to cross the threshold and come to us. We will not be meeting behind closed doors,” tweeted march organiser Janine Hendry on Monday.

Most government lawmakers declined to join the rallies. However the Labor opposition leader as well as several other prominent lawmakers joined the crowd in Canberra.

Entertainment

20-years-old lady accuses father of sleeping with her for years

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A 20-year-old lady, Fatima Usman, has called out her father, Usman Momoh, a staff of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State, accusing him of sleeping with her for a long time and often threatening to kill her anytime she refused his sexual advances.

Fatima, who made the disclosure in a viral video on Thursday, said her father started having the incestuous affair with her in 2018 and whenever she refused to have sex with him, he would send her out of the house at the midnight.

In the two minutes, ten seconds video, the lady said:

“My father has been sleeping with me for a very long time, and whenever I tried to say no, he would send me out of the room. If I say I will voice out, he would be threatening to kill me. He would bring out a knife and show me that if I tell anybody, he would kill me.”

She added that though her parents live in the same house, her mother never bothered to check on her whenever her father sent her out of the house and did not care about the sinful act.

“My mother did not bother to check on me whether I slept in the room or not. Anytime my father sent me out and I slept outside, my mother would have slept off; she did not know what was happening.”

Calling on the government of the state and human rights groups to come to her aid and help her get justice, Fatima said she had reported the matter to her father’s family.

In another video on the same issue, a man who claimed to be an in-law to Fatima’s father confirmed the incident and said the family had intervened in the matter.

“When we heard about the matter, he (Momoh) was asked to bring some items as atonement for the incestuous act and he provided those items, which included tubers of yam, goat, local gin, among others. After that, the elders in the village warned the girl not to return to her father’s house, but be staying with me.”

The man also stated that the matter was reported at a police station and Momoh was arrested, detained and later granted bail.

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