The practice of professors and University lecturers demanding sex and/or money for grades has to end!
How does a man get to the highest level of educational achievement only to become a prisoner for demanding sex in return for grades from a University student he was employed to teach and groom into a better individual?
It is sad that a man of such status would stoop so low. The sad reality is the fact that this has become a norm in tertiary institutions across Africa, but more rampant in Nigeria than anywhere else.
Professor Richard Akindele, a Senior Lecturer at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria has been in the news since June this year after a student in his department who felt enough was enough secretly obtained evidence of the professor demanding for sex from her in return for grades, and reported to the issue to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC).
The ICPC took up the case swiftly and headed for the court of law. Within a month after the first hearing, the victim - Monica Osagie, a Masters Degree student at the University granted an Exclusive interview to CNN where she revealed she taped conversations with the professor in her bid to gather evidence against him.
In reaction to this, the University held a Press Conference where they announced that the Governing council has sacked the lecturer after they found him guilty of the charges against him.
Interestingly, despite the evidences against him, the lecturer continues to plead not guilty against the charges against him. Many became very frustrated when in July, the professor was granted bail a few months ago for a medical trip to the United States.
More evidence against him led to his re-arrest and it appears the judge that presided over the hearing at the Federal High Court, Osogbo has had enough and denied the bail application plea by the counsel to the accused; ordering that he remains in custody until his next hearing on December 17.
Header Image Credit: Diaspora Reporters