Law undergraduates of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), on Monday, besieged the office of the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Florence Obi to protest against alleged sexual harassment, extortion, and absenteeism by lecturers.
The students particularly accused the Dean of Faculty of Law, Prof. Cyril Ndifon of sexually harassing female students.
The protesting students neatly dressed in black and white attire, carrying placards as they urged the university authorities to rise to the occasion and address their concerns.
The placards had various inscriptions like “Ndifon Must Go”, “We Are Tired of Buying Law Journals”, “We Are Tired of Lecturers Not Attending Classes”, and “We Are Sexually Harassed”.
The Vice Chancellor assured the students of the university authorities’ willingness to get their concerns addressed, even as she called for calm.
She said the university was ready to give a listening ear and was willing to resolve challenges being faced by the students.
A student, Miss Agatha Ayeni however expressed reservation about the protest, stressing that the president of the Law Students Association of Nigeria (LAWSAN), UNICAL branch, Comrade Benedict Otu took some students out for the protest against the wish of the leadership of the faculty as did not meet up with the two-third majority requirement for a protest.
Another student, simply identified as Sylvester, who regretted participating in the protest, explained that he and his colleagues were cajoled to go for a meeting with the Vice Chancellor at her office, only to see placards bearing false accusations against the Dean.
“Also, we have heard of Law journal but we did not hear anything like sexual harassment. I think this is a manipulation of gullible students to achieve self-serving interest”, he stated.
Emmanuel Williams, who condemned the protest, said the allegations about the Law journal and some lecturers not making themselves available for lectures might be true, but the sexual harassment allegation was blackmail to bring down the reputation of the Dean.
“The question is, if Ndifon has been accused of sexual harassment, who then is the victim?
“We are all Law students and taught how to seek redress. Let any of the students who is said to have been sexually harassed by the Dean come out to raise alarm, rather than remain in the dark to make false allegations”, Williams said.
Ndifon, denied any wrongdoing, stressing the allegations were based on falsehood to pull him down.
“It’s the handiwork of some elements in the faculty who sponsored the LAWSAN President to bring me down.
“I won elections twice to assume the position of Dean and some big men who felt Ndifon is not supposed to emerge as Dean are on it again and decided to sponsor a protest against me.
“It won’t work. If they are accusing me of sexual harassment without victims, I’m shocked that someone would go to this extent to satisfy his inaordinate ambition”, Ndifon stated.
