Buckingham varsity VC suspended following Nigerian wife’s allegations of affair, misconduct

Cynthia Tooley, a Nigerian businesswoman, has become a key player in the suspension of Professor James Tooley, the vice chancellor of the University of Buckingham, due to claims of a contentious foreign relationship.

According to UK's Daily Mail on Thursday, Tooley, who disputes the claims, was suspended from his £229,000-per-year position in October after being accused of having a romantic relationship with a 25-year-old Indian lady.

According to reports, Cynthia alerted university officials by providing the young woman's journals, which described the purported relationship.

After a brief courtship, the mother of two reportedly wed the British scholar in February 2022.

But according to reports, the couple split up in the summer, which caused their relationship to fall apart and their contact to break down through lawyers.

On October 11, the dispute started. when Cynthia alerted the university about the alleged relationship.

This prompted an emergency meeting, resulting in the professor’s suspension and the launch of an independent inquiry into the claims.

In addition to the allegations about the relationship, Cynthia reportedly accused her estranged husband of possessing a “suspicious object” at his official residence.
A junior air gun was taken from the property after police were called, but no investigation was conducted.

In a letter to students, university officials announced the suspension, citing "serious allegations" against the vice-chancellor.

The letter stressed that a further investigation was being conducted to confirm the statements.

Tooley expressed confidence in being exonerated and called the accusations "baseless and malicious" through his solicitors.

Citing the ongoing investigation, he declined to comment further.

In defence of Tooley, the Indian woman at the core of the accusations stated, "He was considerate and kind and always treated me with respect." I was in love with him, as anyone who reads my journals can see.

The relationship started when she was 25, she explained, and she maintained that there was no illegal conduct.

The University of Buckingham has appointed an interim leadership team, including Chief Financial Officer David Cole, Chief Administrative Officer Chris Payne, and Pro Vice-Chancellor Harriet Dunbar-Morris, to oversee operations during the investigation.

Cynthia, who once resided with Tooley at Ondaatje Hall, the Vice Chancellor’s official residence, has since moved out.

The couple’s fallout has drawn significant media attention, given their high-profile roles and publicised relationship.