Former FUOYE Student Leader Cites Tiwa Savage’s Resilience as Inspiration After Private Video Leak

The former Students’ Union Government (SUG) President of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), James Adio, has revealed that Afrobeats singer Tiwa Savage’s resilience following her 2021 private tape leak inspired him to remain strong when an explicit video of him surfaced online. Speaking in a broadcast interview, Adio explained that analyzing the musician’s ability to overcome a similar public scandal gave him the determination to withstand the online backlash. He noted that if he had given up, he would have failed the student community that trusted and supported his leadership.

The former student leader attributed his emotional recovery to the backing of the student body and his family. He stated that the goodwill built during his administration where he won a highly contested election against 13 opponents motivated many students to defend him during the controversy. He added that his mother and family provided essential support instead of rebuking him, which gave him the necessary push to move forward.

The leak followed a turbulent period for Adio at the university. In June, the institution suspended him over allegations of financial extortion involving newly admitted students, asserting that roughly ₦700,000 in unauthorized levies had been traced to his account.

Shortly after the suspension, the private explicit video was leaked on social media, drawing reactions from the public and the National Association of Nigerian Students. Following the leak, the university administration suspended two students over allegations of cyberbullying and blackmail connected to the distribution of the clip. Despite facing both the financial probe and the privacy violation, Adio has since completed his academic studies and signed out from the university.