A lecturer at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Kamal A. Odunjo-Saka, has accused the
institution’s management of suspending him after he exposed alleged financial misconduct involving
three Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) staff members. The staff were allegedly implicated in the
mismanagement of ₦10 million earmarked for his PhD foreign sponsorship.
Odunjo-Saka, a lecturer in FUOYE’s Department of Psychology, labeled his suspension as “absurd,
baseless, and unprofessional.” He claimed his suspension followed his whistleblowing activities, which
he said were met with a retaliatory response from the university management.
The lecturer recounted how he was awarded a TETFund scholarship in November 2020 to pursue a PhD
program at a university in Cyprus. However, he alleged that part of the approved funds was withheld.
According to Odunjo-Saka, TETFund staff provided inconsistent explanations regarding the missing
funds, claiming at one point that the payment had been delayed due to a bounce-back from the Central
Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
“After several months of back-and-forth communication, it became clear that the funds were not
disbursed as claimed,” he said.
The delays reportedly caused severe disruptions to his studies, with his student portal in Cyprus being
deactivated and warnings issued for possible deportation.
Odunjo-Saka revealed that after his allegations appeared in the media, FUOYE’s management issued
him three queries in a single day, accusing him of defamation against TETFund staff. The queries, signed
by the university’s Registrar, Mufutau A. Ibrahim, requested him to explain in writing why disciplinary
action should not be taken for what was described as “false allegations.”
The university stated that Odunjo-Saka should have sought clarification from the TETFund Unit at
FUOYE before making public accusations.
In its official response, FUOYE denied the allegations, describing them as unsubstantiated. The
institution maintained that its engagement with TETFund revealed no evidence to support Odunjo-Saka’s
claims of fraud.
“The assertion that Mr. Odunjo’s suspension was a consequence of exposing alleged fraud is both
inaccurate and misleading,” said FUOYE spokesperson, Balogun.
The statement urged the lecturer to adhere to the university’s procedures and to desist from making
baseless accusations.
Odunjo-Saka has appealed to Nigerians and authorities in the education sector to intervene, claiming
that he is being subjected to a “wicked witch-hunt” for exposing misconduct.
“My suspension is not only unjust but a clear attempt to silence me for standing against corruption. I urge
well-meaning Nigerians to come to my aid,” he said.
TETFund has not directly responded to the allegations, but FUOYE’s statement indicated that no
evidence was found to suggest that any funds were embezzled by its staff.
The case highlights ongoing tensions between accountability efforts and institutional reactions in
Nigeria’s higher education system.
FUOYE Lecturer Accuses Management of Retaliation Over Alleged TETFund Fraud Exposure
