The National Industrial Court in Lagos has ordered the University of Lagos (UNILAG) to reinstate Bamisaye Olawale Olutola, an Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Public Law, whose appointment was terminated in July 2021. Justice Ikechi Gerald Nweneka, in a judgment delivered on July 17, 2025, ruled that Olutola’s employment remains valid and that the university acted unlawfully by suspending and subsequently dismissing him without following due process.
Olutola, who joined UNILAG on November 28, 2016, and had his appointment regularised in March 2019, filed a suit in 2021 challenging his dismissal. He was suspended indefinitely over allegations of sexual harassment, and later removed because his services were no longer required. However, the court held that the university had violated its statutes by failing to establish a disciplinary committee to investigate the allegations before taking action.
The court declared that Olutola’s employment is deemed confirmed, having worked for more than four years, and ordered his immediate reinstatement without loss of seniority or benefits. UNILAG was also directed to pay all outstanding salaries and allowances from August 2021 to the date of judgment and to continue making payments thereafter.
Justice Nweneka further issued a perpetual injunction restraining the university from interfering unlawfully with Olutola’s employment and awarded N750,000 as the cost of the action. The judgment is to be implemented within 30 days; after this period, the monetary compensation will accrue 10% annual interest until it is fully paid.
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