Olamide Lasisi, Tobiloba Adeosun with Sahara Reporters
A final-year student of the Animal Production Department, Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Kabiru Toheeb, popularly known as Cashlink, has been suspended by the School's disciplinary committee for alleged involvement in defamation and misconduct.
After being disqualified from the 38th Students' Union Government (SUG) presidential race by the Students' Union Government Electoral Committee Officers(SUG ECO) for breach of electoral guidelines a few months ago, Cashlink now has his studentship on hold.
Meanwhile, the student wing of the Take It Back (TIB) Movement, a human rights advocacy group, has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the management of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago Iwoye, demanding the immediate reinstatement of Kabiru Toheeb Omotoyosi, a 500-level student recently suspended over alleged defamation and misconduct.
According to the Sahara Reporters, in a statement signed by Comrade Oguntola Sunday A., President of the TIB Student Wing, the group described the disciplinary action against Omotoyosi as "illegal" and a blatant case of "intimidation, favoritism, and prejudice."
The university management had, in a letter dated April 10, 2025, and signed by Mrs. Florence O. Onayinka, for the Registrar, suspended Omotoyosi, a 500-level student of Agricultural Production and Renewable Resources, for two semesters for alleged defamation of character and misconduct.
The letter read, “You would recall that you were alleged for Defamation and Misconduct. You would also recall that you owned up to the allegation.
“After due consideration of the report of the Students' Disciplinary Committee in respect of the case, the Vice-Chancellor has approved the recommendations of the Students' Disciplinary Committee as follows:
“That you be suspended from the University for two (2) Semesters effective from the Rain Semester of 2024/2025 Academic Session.
“By implication, you will be expected back in the University in the Rain Semester of the 2025/2026 Academic Session.
“That you should go to public space and publish a formal retraction of all the defamatory publications made against Mr. Oluwaseun Adeyemi Ogunmakinju and Michael Patience Filomena.
“That you should submit the copy of the retraction through the Dean, Student Affairs to the Vice-Chancellor.
“That you report at the Olubi Sodipo Counselling Centre for mandatory counseling.
“By a copy of this letter, all the relevant organs of the University are being informed of these decisions.”
However, in a statement signed by the National President of its student wing, Oguntola, TIB said that Kabiru, formerly a presidential candidate in the institution's student union elections, was disqualified from the race under unclear circumstances.
According to TIB, the alleged defamation case involves the current student union president, whom Kabiru opposed in the election.
“We perceive a very high level of intimidation, favoritism, and prejudice against Kabiru Toheeb Omotoyosi; if not, is the management of the institution idle to handle cases of defamation amongst students?
“Does the management have the legal right to declare someone guilty of character defamation?
“Why does the complainant choose to approach the management instead of a court of law in a case of alleged character defamation?” the TIB statement read.
The human rights advocacy group further questioned: “If the said complainant isn’t the union president, would the management have played the same role?”
The TIB also questioned the university's authority to declare a student guilty of defamation without legal adjudication, labeling the school's handling of the matter as undemocratic and oppressive.
“These and many more questions beg for answers from the management of the institution,” the statement added.
Demanding Omotoyosi’s immediate and unconditional reinstatement, TIB said, “We demand an immediate reinstatement of the suspended student within the next 48 hours, else, legal actions would be taken against the management of the university.”
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