*My colleagues set me up for blackmail – Don
From CLEMENT ADEYI, Osogbo
A lecturer at the Department of Languages and Linguistics of the Osun State University, Ikire Campus, Dr. Wale Ojoniyi, who is currently embattled over a sex video scandal involving him and a 400 Level Student of English, Mercy Ikwue, has said that only a public investigation on television would prove the veracity of the allegation against him.
Since the release on Thursday of a sex video allegedly featuring him naked with Mercy Ikwue in a hotel room, the lecturer who is also a pastor has been fighting hard to wash himself clean, by accusing his colleagues of setting him up.
In the 34-minute video clip, which has now gone viral on the internet, Ojoniyi was seen naked, trying to caress Mercy, who wrapped herself with the hotel bed sheet and seated on the bed. There was however no real sexual intercourse captured in the video as there was also no attempt by the man in the video to coerce the her to cooperate with him.
Saturday Sun gathered that some students of the university had claimed in a petition that Ojoniyi was instrumental in the suspension of Mercy after she was allegedly caught for examination malpractices. On her return to the university after the one academic session rustication, the petition claimed the lecturer mounted pressure on the student for an amorous affair but the lady resisted him.
It was further learnt that the lady confided in some persons, who advised her to set a trap for Ojoniyi by agreeing to his love advances. She eventually allegedly went to the agreed hotel room and met him.
In the said video, Mercy was seen setting up a laptop webcam directly opposite the bed and pretended to be watching a ‘Things Fall Apart’ film on it while she was actually recording their sexual activity in the room.
Also in the video, Mercy was seen throwing her trousers on the bed from an angle she knew the camera could not cover. She also ensured that the camera lense did not capture her when she removed her trousers.
She wore her top throughout the 34-minute duration of the show and used the bed sheet as a wrapper, while the man in the video came to the bed stark naked.
In a chat with our correspondent who sought his reaction on the phone yesterday, Dr Ojoniyi who did not categorically deny the allegation said he had written an open letter to Osun people, Nigerians and the whole world on the steps that must be taken to confirm the truth of the allegation. He therefore called for a public investigation of the matter.
“I have written an open letter to Osun people, Nigerians and the entire world on the matter on how to ascertain the truth of the matter. I have also mentioned everybody involved in the allegation and I am ready to explain my own side of the issue. We will all sit down together and see whether the allegation is true or not,” he said.
“There will be live coverage on the TV that is ready to investigate,” he said.
Asked whether he is guilty or not, Dr Ojoniyi said it was only the public panel that could confirm live on the TV.
In his letter of defence titled “Open Letter to Nigerians and the Whole World on the alleged UNIOSUN lecturer in sex scandal video”, he alleged that he was set up by a female colleague who “I spearheaded her investigation, who was found guilty by the University on the strength of the evidence I provided and was dismissed from the University. She is one of the people who gave a contract of blackmailing me to Ikwe Ejiro Mercy.” He also accused others of conniving with the female lecturer to blackmail him.
“They are the ones who vowed that I cannot make any academic progress again if I do not negotiate with Professor Olukoya Ogen and his group of blackmailers.
I am here pleading with well-meaning Nigerians and any reputable television media organisation to quickly organise and call for this open media investigation panel on this case”, he added.
Some students who spoke with our correspondent on the condition of anonymity said if the allegation was true, it then meant that Dr Ojoniyi had failed to prove himself to them as a role model and a disciplinarian that he was known for on campus.
One of the final year students of the department said: “Dr Ohoniyi is one of the finest and hardworking lecturers in the department. He is a disciplinarian to the core. If the allegation against him is true, then it is a big embarrassment to us.”
Another student said: “I learnt he is a pastor and he is married. Why then should he do that? “ “If it is true, the university authority should bring discipline to bear to serve as a deterrent to others,” another student said.
Saturday Sun also confirmed that the sexual harassment of female students by lecturers has been trending in the school but nobody was ready to report officially.
All efforts to get the reaction of the acting Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof Oguntola Jelil Alamu and the Registrar, Shittu Gafar, were to no avail as both refused to pick several telephone calls put across to them or respond to text messages sent to them as at the close of production yesterday.