A former Professor and lecturer in the Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), in Ekiti state, Niyi Akingbe, is set to receive a compensation of N40 million over wrongful dismissal.
This order was given by the National Industrial Court in Akure.
Due to accusations of plagiarism, Professor Akingbe, the institution’s former Acting Dean of the Faculty of Arts, was abruptly fired in 2018.
Before being fired, the professor reportedly voiced his disapproval of the university’s administration under former Vice Chancellor Kayode Soremekun.
However, following roughly six years of litigation, the court recently ruled that Professor Akingbe was not guilty of the plagiarism charge against him.
Honorable Justice K.D. Damulak, the presiding judge, stated that the decision was made because the plagiarism accusations were not well-supported by evidence and were not specific.
Additionally, the court determined that the university had not followed the correct procedures specified in the Federal University of Oye-Ekiti Act of 2015 and the applicable regulations pertaining to the service conditions of senior staff.
The judgement partly reads, “A declaration that the claimant’s dismissal vide letter dated 31st October 2018 without fair hearing is null and void. The defendant is hereby ordered to pay the claimant general damages assessed at N40,000,000(Forty million Naira only) within Thirty days of this judgement or the sum shall attract 10% interest per annum. This is the judgement of the court and it is hereby entered.”
Published by Ejoh Caleb
