By John Odunjo
The Federal University Oye Ekiti has described as lies from the pit of hell a story published by an online medium that a lecturer of the institution was asking his students to pay for his fuel money.
FUOYE, which said that the news report was fabricated to attract traffic to the writers’ blog, described it as handiwork of “hungry, frustrated and desperate guys, who have chosen an ignoble path of deliberately spreading bile in the guise of fake news against renowned institutions like FUOYE”.
In a statement titled, ‘Report of FUOYE lecturer demanding for transport fare is fake’ made available by the Special Adviser (Media) to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Fasina, the university stated, “The truth of the matter is that no lecturer of our great university would stoop so low as to be asking his students to pay for his fuel money.
“It is not also true that the university authorities were reported to and they did not take action on it. The FUOYE management under the incumbent leadership of the VC, Prof. Fasina, prioritizes students’ wellbeing and welfare on campus and frowns seriously at any practices against the students. The VC has zero tolerance for indiscipline and takes urgent actions to deal with any issue raised against the wellbeing of students.
“Instances of the VC’s no-nonsense stance against indiscipline abound and they include the sack of a lecturer found guilty of sexual harassment against a female student two years ago and on-going probe of another. Also, most students have the VC’s phone number and easily call him to lodge complaints which he promptly attend to.
“Besides, the VC and University management make available stipends to lecturers for online lectures across board. With this magnanimous attitude of the administration, no lecturer will stoop so low as demanding transport fare from students.
“The evil reporter who spread the fake news on his blog is obviously being economical with the truth and he or she is challenged to bring forth his facts or remain silent forever!”
“On a conclusive note, we also wish to advise such bloggers and their peers to grow beyond primitive and immature practice of journalism by conducting proper investigation about issues raised against government institutions like FUOYE that benefits Nigerians, before rushing to post fake and damaging reports on their Facebook walls”.
