“Reasons Behind My Ordeal” Olaseni Oshifala Queens College Teacher Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Student Open Can Of Intrigues

According to information available

The embattled Biology teacher at Queen’s College, Lagos, Mr Olaseni Oshifala, who is being investigated for his alleged role in a sexual harassment case involving a JSS II girl, on Tuesday, said he was framed up by people who were envious of his many achievements.

Oshifala spoke with a couple journalists at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba, where he was being interrogated.

“I am not too surprised. Having won Best Teacher Award seven different times within the 13 years I have worked at Queen’s

College, I expect some elements of jealousy. In fact, in 2015, I went home with six out of the seven available prizes. The prizes were given by the school in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Education. Apart from these, I have worked with six different principals as their PA. And now, being the PA to the current principal who just arrived… that can make some people jealous.

“The principal has said that I was recommended to her by numerous principals, and even a former Principal of King’s College, Lagos. It’s not I going to them or lobbying for the position. They call me. I was also the maintenance officer of the college. When the former principal was posted here, some people quickly went to her and persuaded her to make another person maintenance officer. I was removed. But soon things started missing. Government property was being taken away from the school. People were caught with raw food, building materials, cooking gas. I blew the whistle, by reporting it to the principal then, and the maintenance officer was removed, and I was again appointed as maintenance officer.”

Oshifala also alleged that his travails were not unconnected with what he called “a seniority tussle” among members of the school’s Old Girls Association.

Attempts made to speak with the President of the association, Mrs Shirley Okharedia, were unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, normalcy had returned to the college, on Tuesday when Lagos Metro visited, as students and teachers were seen carrying on with their normal activities.

SSIII students had on Monday staged a protest to register their support for their Biology teacher.

It was gathered that while the protest was going on, Oshifala was being interrogated at the office of the Commissioner of Police where he was held until after 7pm.”

The Federal Ministry of Education, it was also learnt, has set up a team to investigate the allegations.

Anthony Anwukah, minister of state for education, has constituted a panel to investigate alleged sexual assault on a female student of Queen’s College, Lagos.

Ben Goong, director of press in the ministry of education, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday.

The statement said the minister was worried over the allegation, and had charged the panel to unravel the truth behind the allegation and make recommendations to government based on the principles of truth, justice and fairness to all parties.

It advised parents, guardians, students and staff of Queen’s College who had credible information on the matter to avail same to the committee via the following telephone number: 07034613096 and email: [email protected].

“Apparently disturbed by media reports over alleged sexual assault on a JSS II female student of Queen’s College, Lagos by a male teacher in the same school, the minister has set up a panel to unravel the veracity of the allegations being leveled against the teacher,” the statement read.

“Several reports from the conventional and social media networks in the past few days have indicated that there was an alleged case of sexual molestation on a JSS II student by a teacher in the same school.

“The minister has assured the general public, particularly parents and guardians whose wards are in any of the Unity Schools and other Federal Government Colleges that their children are in safe hands.

“He said the government will continue to do everything possible within the ambit of the law to protect their wards in all government schools across the country, including Queens College, Lagos.”

The statement said the panel has two weeks to submit its report.

An aggrieved parent had accused Olaseni Oshifala, a male teacher in the school, of sexually abusing her daughter, an allegation that the school authorities denied, describing it as a ridiculous attempt to tarnish the teacher’s image along with the reputation of the school.

“When this news reached me, I summoned an emergency meeting of all the critical stakeholders.

We all discussed before inviting Mr Osifala. Every one of my staff says positive things about the man. Of course they were all here (Queens College) before me, so they are qualified to assess members of staff properly,” the principal said in a statement.

“Let us not forget that Olaseni worked with five different principals, all of who also told me good words about him, despite the various allegations against him, I have investigated and we are not relenting in our determination to get to the bottom of this case. The man in question has been of impeccable character and committed service since I resumed work here. I can vouch for him.”

But the parent maintained her stand, saying there was an attempt to shield Osifala from justice.

On Monday, students of the school abandoned their examination for several hours while staging a solidarity protest for Oshifala.

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