Babcock University Denies Allegations Against VC Aspirant, Warns of Legal Action
Babcock University Denies Allegations Against VC Aspirant, Warns of Legal Action
Babcock University has dismissed an online report accusing a Vice-Chancellor aspirant, Dr. Afolarin Ojewole, of past sexual misconduct, describing the publication as “fabricated, baseless” and an attempt to undermine the institution’s leadership transition.
The management said the allegation was a smear campaign targeted at the transparent process to appoint a successor to the outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ademola Tayo, who completes his tenure in November.
In a statement signed by the Director of Marketing and Communication, Joshua Suleiman, the university insisted there is no record of any complaint, disciplinary report or committee investigating Ojewole. It warned that those behind the claims risk legal action if the defamatory publication persists.
“The so-called story is a product of reckless imagination and a deliberate effort to malign the Church, the university, and the leadership selection process,” the statement read.
The university also refuted claims that Ojewole had been sanctioned in the past, explaining that his 2018 leave of absence was to accompany his wife to the United States to provide parental support for their children, not due to any scandal.
The management stressed that the report by a group calling itself The Apostles Seventh-Day Adventist advocacy group and its alleged coordinator, Samson Fasasi, was “phantom” and without basis.
Babcock further defended its selection process, stating that the Governing Council’s 2025 Search Committee operates under “strict spiritual, ethical and procedural standards” derived from Church policies and national laws.
The institution emphasised that the Vice-Chancellor’s appointment is a “sacred and spiritual exercise” guided by merit and moral uprightness, not politics or lobbying.
While reaffirming its commitment to a transparent and fair process, Babcock cautioned candidates and their supporters against propaganda that could undermine the credibility of the transition.
The successor to Prof. Tayo is expected to be announced on December 1, 2025.
