Unical’s Faculty of Law Unites Against Alleged Harassment, Students Demand Accountability
The emergence of Prof. Cyril Ndifon as the Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar has sparked protests among some female law students.
The students allege that Prof. Ndifon has a history of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior towards them. They have been seen in a viral video on Twitter holding placards with various inscriptions condemning the alleged actions of the dean.
The students accuse Prof. Ndifon of engaging in “law school manipulation” and have called for his removal from the position of dean. Some of the placards contained messages such as
“Law students are not Bonanza, Prof. Ndifon should stop grabbing us,” “The Faculty of Law is not a brothel.” We are tired of sucking dicks,” another placard reads.
The students also allege that the dean has harassed them based on their physical appearance and that he has created an uncomfortable and hostile learning environment.
In response to the protests, social media users have expressed their support for the students and have criticized the university for allowing the alleged behavior to persist.
Some have pointed out that this is not the first time Prof. Ndifon has faced accusations of sexual harassment. In 2015, he was reportedly suspended for allegedly raping a law student in his office.
Despite this previous incident, he has since been reinstated and has now risen to the position of dean.
The vice chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Florence Banku Obi, addressed the protesting students and assured them that their complaints had been heard and that appropriate actions would be taken.
She commended the students for conducting their protest peacefully and in accordance with the university’s rules and regulations.
The situation has highlighted the broader issue of sexual harassment within academic institutions and the need for proper mechanisms to address such complaints and hold individuals accountable for their actions. The protests and reactions on social media indicate a growing demand for change and a call to end the culture of impunity surrounding cases of sexual harassment in educational settings.
