Pix: Prof. Cordelia Agbebaku outgoing Ambrose Ali VC…Allegedly helped her husband to cover his tracks
Alli University, Ekpoma, notorious for sex-for-grade scandals
is convulsing over the alleged brazen sexual harassment of one Miss
Joy Osa Edobor, a student of Political Science who was kept in the
institution for upward of 12 years in a course of study that normally
would run for four years.
A check at the university by us revealed that sexual harassment is a
tradition in the university where students are forced to cough out
between N4,000/N5,000 to pass each course or made themselves available
for sexual gratification with the lecturers. In addition, students are
forced to pay between N20,000/N150,000 for projects, depending on the
department.
These perverse culture of extortion of the students have been going on
with official in deference until Miss Joy Edobor took a step of
courage by protesting the humiliating treatments handed out to her by
those who are supposed help in moulding her future.
The father of Miss Joy Edobor, Mr Edobor, out of frustration
petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related
offences Commission, ICPC on the fate of his daughter in the hands of
insensitive officials of Ambrose Alli University. In his petition, he
stated how the outing going Vice Chancellor, Prof. Cordelia Agbebaku
and her spouse, Prof. Phillip Enahoro Agbebaku frustrated efforts made
by the department and faculty to graduate his daughter.
It was said that the Vice Chancellor shamefully blocked all efforts at
graduating Miss Joy Edobor in order to protect her sexually perverse
husband, Prof Phillip Agbebaku who held on to Miss Joy’s results as a
former Head of Department, (HOD) and Prof of Political Science. Miss
Joy had alleged that her refusal to enter into an amorous relationship
with Prof. Agbebaku made him to visit her with reprisals; such as
failing her, declaring her results missing and with constant verbal
assaults.
When Mr Edobor and his daughter realised the futility of getting
justice in Ambrose Alli University, they turned to ICPC for succour.
Having received the pathetic and heart rendering petition of Miss Joy
Edobor, the ICPC commenced investigation amidst bureaucratic delays
and foot dragging. The Commission, eventually came out with a report
that Prof Agbebaku will soon be prosecuted along with his
co-travellers in the university.
Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Pratices and other related
offences Commission (ICPC), Mr Ekpo Nta, why addressing a Senate
Committee revealed a few days ago that the commission had rescued a
female undergraduate of the Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, who had
spent 12 years on the campus for refusing sexual advances. The ICPC
hinted that the individuals involved will be prosecuted soon.
“Right now, ICPC is working on prosecuting all the lecturers and
officials involved in the stupid act. The commission had focused its
torchlight on the universities, where it has closed down over 26
illegal degree-awarding institutions and rescued a number of students
being victimised”, he said.
The ICPC boss, who stated this while appearing before the Senator
Victor Lar-led Committee on the Commission said that 50 out of the 156
major contractors to the Ministry of Works had been discovered to have
submitted forged tax certificates.
A further investigation revealed that the Department of Political
Science had been set alight twice in the bid to destroy material
evidence. The first inferno was alleged to have be masterminded by a
lecturer who, as an examination officer, wanted to cover up his
misdeed. The department was torched a second time in May 2014 after a
meeting where members of the department were informed of an impending
visit of officials from the ICPC to the department.
Many who read or heard about the ICPC Chairman’s enthusiastic comments
on the prosecution of Prof. Agbebaku and other involved in the
criminal desecration of the citadel of learning are worried that the
Commission may just be grandstanding, after all. In the past, similar
cases involving high placed individuals have been swept under the
carpets.
The Governing Council of the university, chaired by Prof. Gregory
Akenzua appears to be lethargic over these embarrassing developments.
The seemingly indifferent disposition of the Governing Council of the
university is a source of concern to members of the university
community and worried public.
There is palpable apprehension in the university whether the Governing
Council can rise up to the occasion by disciplining the lecturers,
including the out going Vice Chancellor and her husband for their
alleged acts, which have severely damaged the reputation of the
institution in the sense that this is about the first time a sitting
Vice Chancellor would be an accessory to a heinous academic crime.
Calls put across to the Chairman of Council, Prof Akenzua and text
messages to his mobile number were not responded to as the time of
going to the press.
In spite of the allegations of banal crimes hovering over the VC’s and
her husband’s head, they keep lobbying to have her tenure elongated
so that they could perpetuate more evils. The world is watching what
will be the response of the Governing Council and the Visitor who have
been romancing corruption.