UNICAL Law Students Accuse Faculty Dean of Sexual Harrassment

The dean of the law faculty of the University of Calabar in Cross River State, Prof. Cyril Ndifon, has been called out for urgent dismissal by female students who claim he has harassed them sexually. 

This is demonstrated in a trending video on X, formerly known as Twitter, which documents the moment the largely female students protested in the classroom while dressed in their typical white and black clothes. They were seen with placards with inscriptions of their grievances.

The female law students at the University of Calabar were seen protesting in their regular white and black wear at the Vice Chancellor and Senate Building demonstrating their displeasure about Prof. Cyril’s constant sexual harassment.

Speaking to the outraged students, the vice chancellor of the university, Prof. Florence Banku Obi, stated the required measures will be done in response to their shouts and complaints. Prof. Obi, responded by reassuring the students that the university administration was eager to address their issues but also urging decorum.

It was reported that the She also congratulated the students for holding the demonstration in a nonviolent manner and according to all applicable school policies.

In 2015, it was reported that the Dean of the Faculty of Law was accused of sexually assaulting a 20 years old, 400 level law student in his office. This makes the allegations look real because he has a record of sexual harassment.

On social media, the charges have sparked responses, and many people have joined the students in speaking out against the alleged sexual harassment.

Sexual harassment in schools often called “Sex for Grades” has now become a menace that has spread too far through the university community in Nigeria, and as a result, students no longer regard it as a horrific offence. In a poll by the World Bank Group’s Women, 70% of female graduates from Nigerian institutions reported experiencing sexual harassment, and this increases yearly. 

Sexual harassment in tertiary institutions takes different forms but the most common being sex for marks. Teachers, lecturers and instructors in positions of power intimidate students into submitting to their desires and caprices, by explicitly or inexplicitly suggesting that students would be graded poorly unless they submit to their sexual advances. Although female students make up a larger percentage of victims, male students are also affected. Students are threatened with carry-overs and poor marks if they don’t do sexual favors for these lecturers.

“Sex-for-admission” is another form of sexual harassment. Candidates who lack knowledge are misled into believing that they must go through a lecturer or head of faculty in order to enroll in a college or university, and as a result, are at the mercy of these dishonest individuals. Admission is typically handled via the registrar’s office, however applicants who prefer a back door procedure risk being harassed or defrauded.

What can be done to curtail sexual harassment in Nigerian Universities?

The government should treat sexual harassment as a serious offence, enforcing clear laws and sanctions when it occurs, especially if a thorough investigation has been conducted and all available evidence has shown the accused’s guilt.

A clear policy and penalty for such an offence should be implemented, especially when the necessary investigation has been conducted and all available evidence establishes the accused’s guilt, because sexual harassment is a horrible crime. The constitution ought to contain a section on sexual harassment in tertiary institutions and a sexual harassment policy. Each school should be held liable for upholding these laws, which should be extensively stated.

Nigerian colleges should create specialised network of support, like counselling facilities and hotlines, to aid sexual harassment victims. All students should have easy access to these support services and they should be widely advertised. Universities should also work with outside groups and NGOs who are experts in combating sexual harassment to offer victims more support and legal assistance. We can aid victims in navigating the fallout from harassment and enlisting their support by giving them the tools they need to do so.

Through a variety of activities, universities should aggressively promote gender equality and inclusivity. This can involve setting up organizations for gender equality, supporting women’s leadership, and hosting conferences on gender awareness. We may resist patriarchal attitudes that support sexual harassment by building a setting that appreciates and respects all genders. Students can also learn the value of consent, limits, and respectful interactions by including gender research and education in the curriculum.

When students are dissatisfied with the grades given to them, a separate body should be established in tertiary institutions so that they can appeal their scripts. This committee needs to be an impartial organization where students can send in a letter outlining the course, the instructor, and the rationale behind their request for scripts. The students who have been failing classes for years because they won’t give in to the lecturer’s approaches or demands for sexual advances would undoubtedly benefit from this.

Students who are victims of sexual harassment should not be left to suffer and stay in silence, hence the need to curtail this menace so that Nigerian Universities will be a safe place to study.