In an audio obtained by SaharaReporters, Adebambo was heard promising Gbenga, a sum of N25,000 and a job placement if he could help him retrieve a document from the office of the Provost of the College of Medicine, Babatunde Solagberu.
The Librarian of Lagos State University (LASU), Dr. Adebambo Oduwole, has been caught on tape offering a bribe to a non-academic staff of the university only identified as Gbenga.
In an audio obtained by SaharaReporters, Adebambo was heard promising Gbenga, a sum of N25,000 and a job placement if he could help him retrieve a document from the office of the Provost of the College of Medicine, Babatunde Solagberu.
The document Adebambo requested for, as mentioned in the audio, contains a contract relating to the office of the Provost.
Adebambo urged Gbenga not to tell anyone about the deal between them.
Dr. Tony Dansu, Secretary of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), LASU Chapter, said the union was in possession of a bank transaction receipt showing that Oduwole made a payment of N10,000 to the college staff.
ASUU-LASU alleged that the management of the institution was trying to cover the matter.
"While we believe that the Librarian is innocent until proven otherwise, we are equally convinced that it is not in the interest of justice, transparency and accountability that the issue be swept under carpet," said the union in a petition written to the Vice Chancellor of the institution.
It was gathered that Adebambo, whose tenure as the University Librarian ended May 2, 2018, is back in office.
According to a source, Adebambo was supposed to be on leave after the expiration of his tenure, but was brought back in an acting capacity.
Adebambo was unreachable, as his mobile number was switched off as of the time of filing this report.
The conversation that ensued between the Adebambo and Gbenga:
Adebambo: How are you?
Gbenga: My boss, sir.
Adebambo - Sorry.
Gbenga: Yes sir, thank you sir.
Adebambo: I want to ask you something.
Gbenga: Okay sir.
Adebambo: And I want you to write them down. Number 1, you know we have known each other for long and I cannot do something that can implicate you and you cannot do something that will implicate me.
Gbenga: Thank you sir.
Adebambo: Looking at our relationship, there is nothing you can ask from me, if it is within my capacity I will give you.
Gbenga: That’s true because you are my boss and I rely on you. I don’t have anybody else.
Adebambo: I trust you wholeheartedly and I know if I ask you something you would do it. If you cannot do it for me, there is no reason to tell another person, it is between the two of us and it should remain like that. You have to promise me that you will not tell anybody.
Gbenga: Yes sir, nobody will hear by the grace of God Almighty. I know you are my God now (both laugh).
Adebambo: If you do this work for me Gbenga, it is a small work, nobody will hear whether you are the person that did it for me or not and I will get you something that is very tangible and it can’t be less than 25,000.
Gbenga: Sir, you know I have finished my programme.
Adebambo: You have finished it.
Gbenga: I finished with Second Class Upper in Business Administration.
Adebambo: There is something we want to do from Ojo and it will get to your side. We will declare vacancy that people can move into and it is going to cross across the university.
Gbenga: Thank you very much sir.
Adebambo: I have told them in the university that it must get to Ikeja by force and not limited to only Ojo.
Gbenga: Okay sir.
Adebambo – Now, if you remember, sometimes ago, 700,000 was approved for Kadri last year
Gbenga: That’s true, sir.
Adebambo: I need the document.
Gbenga: You know what happened, there was a response to the mail today saying we should bring that thing to information for it to be taken to LASU on Monday.
Adebambo: Okay.
Gbenga: They responded concerning that document, what exactly do you need from it, sir?
Adebambo: Photocopy of the document:
Gbenga: Everything?
Adebambo: Yes but the front that Provost approved is what I need. The front part that Provost said so so so so, that single one is what I need, I don’t need the rest.
Gbenga: Alright. Where the approval was made?
Adebambo: Yes.
Gbenga: But on Monday check the one that was sent.
Adebambo: Has it been sent?
Gbenga: Yes, one was sent today. I took it there around 12:30 and the people would have gone to Ojo when I took it there.
Adebambo: I don’t think so. Are you sure?
Gbenga: If it is there, let me know; if it is not there I will know…
Adebambo: It might be there. I heard Provost said nothing should be sent to Ojo.
Gbenga: Baba sent one but I didn’t go through it totally. I took it to information around 12:30 and I even told them people going to Ojo would have left.
Adebambo: Who did you give it to?
Gbenga: I gave it to Mr Ajayi, which means they have left.
Adebambo: I will ask Ajayi now if it is still with him or can it have been collected from him?
Gbenga: It cannot be with Ajayi, it would be in the office; it would be taken to Ojo on Monday.
Adebambo: Okay.
Gbenga: If you did not see it in it…
Adebambo: If on Monday you were asked to collect it and not send it to Ojo, would you do a photocopy for me?
Gbenga – Yes, but they can never say I should get it back
Adebambo: Don’t say that.
Gbenga: Ehn ehn, if they ask me to, I will do the photocopy.
Adebambo: Was it photocopy you went to drop?
Gbenga: Yes.
Adebambo: Original is with SA, right?
Gbenga: Yes.
Adebambo: So the document is with Ajayi now.
Gbenga: Yes, the document is with Ajayi.
Adebambo: Can I ask him?
Gbenga: Yes. So if what you are looking for is not there, then you should let me know.
Adebambo: No problem. If it is there, fine. If it is not there, fine. If it is there and I don’t need anything from you, on Monday, I would send 10,000 to you.
Gbenga: Thank you very much, sir.
Adebambo: If it is not there and we still need it, you are still going to get the 25,000.
Gbenga: Thank you very much, sir.
Adebambo: Keep it as secret and don’t tell anybody.
Gbenga: I won’t. You are the person I rely on. You heard all I mentioned.
Adebambo: I saw it.
Gbenga: About the school, I struggled to do that thing.
Adebambo: You tried
Gbenga: Thank you very much sir