How Unilorin lecturer raped 17-year-old student; varsity yet to act — Investigation

The 17-year-old student of the University of Ilorin said she had asked her lecturer for help on two occasions.

The first time, she requested assistance with signing her course form after she became frustrated with the official responsible for authenticating the document. Later, she spoke to him about her inability to pay for a matriculation gown at a crowded campus bank.

The Arts Education teacher, introduced by a graduate friend to help keep an eye on her academic progress, never asked for a romantic relationship nor propositioned her, the 200 level student said.

Then, one day in February this year, the man locked his office while she was still inside, pushed her to a table and raped her. The man covered her mouth to stifle screams and later left her alone in the office after the encounter.

The accused staff, Solomon Olowookere, a senior lecturer, denied the allegations. He said he had helped the student multiple times but denied there was any possibility of a sexual incident between them. Mr Olowookere said the story was made-up.

But multiple interviews with senior university officials, including the head of Department of Arts Education, the dean of Faculty of Education and the dean of Students’ Affairs, confirmed the attack occurred.

The officials said Mr Olowookere had admitted to them he assaulted the girl and had pleaded for help, but later changed his testimony. They said in committing the act, the lecturer abused his position further by increasing the student’s test score as compensation.

The interviews, conducted by a panel set up by the university to review the case, formed the basis for a recommendation the lecturer be dismissed. Two months after the report, seen by PREMIUM TIMES, was submitted to the authorities, the university is yet to act, either by adopting or rejecting it. The lecturer has also remained in the employment of the institution.

The vice chancellor of the university, Sulyman Abdulkareem, told PREMIUM TIMES he would prefer not to comment on the matter because it “was in court” already. He said the school would make its decision known later.

A spokesperson for the university, Tunde Akogun, also declined comment, saying he had not been briefed on the case.

Together, the report provides a rich coverage of a case that has shocked staff and students of the university, one of Nigeria’s oldest and best known tertiary institutions. In the age of #MeToo, it sheds light on the challenge of rampant sexual harassment in Nigerian schools and how institutions struggle to check its occurrence or manage the fallouts.

(PremiumTimes)