EMBATTLED QUEENS COLLEGE TEACHER INDICTED FOR SEXUAL HARRASSMENT OF FEMALE STUDENTS ALLEGES CONSPIRACY

The teacher who was recently accused of sexually harassing a female student of Queen’s College, Yaba, Lagos, Mr. Olaseni Osifala, has said the allegation was a frame up to bring him down.

It would be recalled that Osifala who was alleged to be always drunk, started molesting the unnamed girl who screamed and was rescued by some of the girls.
The Parent-Teacher Association, PTA, of the school had in Lagos on Monday, said that it had set up a panel to investigate alleged sexual harassment in the school.

Also, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Anthony Anwukah, had constituted a panel to investigate the case.
Meanwhile, the teacher in the centre of the allegation has blamed his ordeal on perceived enemies.
Osifala on Tuesday had gone to lodge an official complaint at the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Panti, Yaba, where he told New Telegraph that there were several reasons to his ordeal.
He said he believes it is coming from those not satisfied with his rising profile in the college and might be after his career, and possibly his life.

According to him, winning about five of the available seven prizes for the best teacher at the college last year may be one of the reasons.
Osifala said, “I was employed as Biology teacher and posted to the school in 2003, and within the period, apart from my normal academic duties, I have served about six principals at the college as their personal assistants.

“I have never lobbied for this position and even when I was removed as the school’s Maintenance Officer and another teacher was installed, it was discovered that many of the school items were being stolen.
“Many were caught with raw food items from kitchen, cooking gas and cylinders, among others. Those who were caught apparently felt I was responsible for their predicament, and they have never hidden their hatred for me.”
Osifala also linked the crisis to the conflict between the present leadership of the school’s Old Students’ Association and another set, who he alleged had felt the new President of the association, Mrs. Shirley Okharedia, was too junior to them to be the president.
“The past principals of the college including the immediate past, Mrs. E. Osime, and even the immediate past Principal of the King’s College, Lagos, Otunba Oladele Olapeju, can testify to my character, and even when I reduced my activities at the college, they brought another Principal, Dr. Lami Amodu, who still insisted I should work with her,” he added.
He further noted that his character is not questionable.
“On Monday, I was with the Lagos State Police Commissioner, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, in company with the school principal. I was not through at the CP’s office in Ikeja until around 7pm on Monday. But I am sure my God is a God of justice.”
He, however, called on all agencies of government and non-governmental organisations to carry out thorough investigation into the allegation.