The daughter of Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Prof. Peyi Soyinka-Airewele, has raised alarming concerns about threats to her life while working at Ithaca College in New York, United States.
Prof. Soyinka-Airewele, who is the first Black woman to be promoted to full professor at the institution, has been a target of a series of racist and violent threats, including threats of sexual assault and assassination.
According to her statement, these incidents began after a student at the college started displaying erratic, harassing, and threatening behavior towards her. Despite her efforts to seek protection, Prof. Soyinka-Airewele claims that her complaints were met with bureaucratic obstacles and a lack of empathy from the college’s administration. She also reported that her request for changes in her lecture delivery methods, aimed at improving her safety and security, was refused.
Prof. Soyinka-Airewele decided to speak out publicly to ensure that other minorities, particularly Black students and faculty from Africa, are aware of their right to seek support if they encounter similar harassment, threats, or discriminatory treatment.
When contacted for comment, Dave Maley, the spokesperson for Ithaca College, declined to provide specific details about the situation, citing the institution’s policy of not commenting on personnel issues. However, he emphasized that the college takes all threats against its community members very seriously.
This incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by minority faculty and students in higher education institutions and underscores the need for robust support systems and effective measures to address racism and harassment.
