At just 24, Comrade Ibitola Akindamola should be focused on building his nursing career, but instead, he finds himself battling to reclaim something even more precious — his dignity.
Akindamola, a young registered nurse and former Student Union President of the College of Nursing Sciences, Ado Ekiti, has taken a painful but determined step: dragging a former lecturer, Mrs. Adaramola Bukola Ayodele, to court over accusations that have haunted him since graduation.
“I worked hard, I served my fellow students with honesty. Yet after I graduated, my name became a subject of ridicule,” Akindamola told reporters, his voice heavy with emotion.
Mrs. Adaramola, who once taught him, allegedly branded him a thief, a fraudster, and a disgrace before students, staff, and alumni — all without proof. She accused him of embezzling over ₦2 million, labeling him “dubious,” and unfit to represent the college. The damage was instant and brutal.
“I couldn’t sleep. I avoided gatherings. My phone became a tool of shame as messages poured in questioning my integrity,” Akindamola recounted. “I didn’t take a single kobo. Everything was accounted for.”
Documents revealed that the ₦2 million in question was used during his tenure for a legitimate sports project, approved by the administration and verified by an independent panel. The funds were accounted for, and Akindamola cleared of any wrongdoing. Yet, long after graduation, the defamation lingered.
The most painful cut, he says, is not just the lies, but the betrayal by someone entrusted with mentoring students. “A lecturer who should guide became the architect of my pain,” he said quietly.
His lawyers have demanded a public apology, ₦20 million compensation, and a retraction of the defamatory claims. “This fight is not just for me,” Akindamola said. “It’s for every student who has ever been falsely accused, bullied, or had their future threatened by those in power.”
This is not the first time Mrs. Adaramola has faced such accusations — previous students have accused her of bullying and character assassination.
Now, as the July 30 deadline looms, the nursing community is watching. Akindamola stands not only to protect his name but to remind everyone that no young professional should have to fight for their dignity after graduation.
“No one should go through this,” he said. “I’m standing tall because truth matters. Respect matters.”
The College of Nursing Sciences was unreachable for comment as of press time.
