Se*ual harassment: ASUU must set up panel of investigation – Prof. Aremu

LECTURER in the University of Ibadan, Prof. Ademola Aremu has
advocated that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)
should set up an independent Commission of inquiry to investigate
cases of sexual harassment and exploitation of female students in
Nigeria Universities.

He said sexual harassment and exploitation of students
absenteeism from lectures without justification offloading of
lecture periods on Postgraduates/ Junior Colleagues, Irregular
attendance at lectures only to come and load students few days/
weeks to examinations and selling of handouts among others are an
unethical practice that should attract sanction.

Prof. Aremu disclosed this during a one day Public Lecture
organised by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU),
University of Jos, titled, “The moral force in the University and
work ethics: The role of ASUU” held at the University of Jos.

“At home and abroad, we have been in the news recently for
reasons that are quite embarrassing. Perhaps the question to start
with in this regard is: Are we truly embarrassed by the
#SexForGrades scandal? It is a highly embarrassing issue, and this
makes it equally highly eligible for consideration in the light of
the topic of concern here.

“In Nigeria, we have been witnesses to the violation of hallowed
sanctuaries of social existence and communion, I mean places of
worship and institutions of learning at all levels, by sexual
predators. The usual reaction has been for the men who run these
places to ignore the issue or give it no more than a side glance,
and then move on in the clear hope that society would soon find
something else to distract its attention.

“The indicted are our scapegoats, more or less, until we
undertake the exercise of full accounting and reckoning. Do we, as
a union, have the courage to call for a high-powered and
independent commission of inquiry, not so much to punish
perpetrators, as to set things right by means of an open call for
memoranda and submissions from past and present female students,
past and present female university workers, including cleaners,
etc.

“Our work ethics, our roles and functions as a body, should
reflect this same principle of self-examination, guided by the duty
to protect the vulnerable in our midst and the responsibility of
setting an example for the rest of society ranging over our
teaching, research, and publications, and our extracurricular and
extramural engagements.”

He said there is a need for a sincere progressive paradigm to
the problem and putting in place the best practices and mechanisms
for monitoring, setting an example for other sectors of society
where the same atrocity has been raised to the pedestal of the
norm.

Prof. Aremu said ASUU has to be willing to be uncompromisingly
self-critical and self-reflexive as that is the safe vantage from
which they may speak truth to power and provide leadership for
those looking up to them.

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