• Thursday, March 28, 2024
businessday logo

BusinessDay

Atiku joins irate voices to condemn persisting harassment of students

sex for grades

Following the revelation of an investigation on how predatory lecturers trade sex for good grades with university students, Nigerians have again lend their voices to the call for an end to persisting harassment of students.

Expression of displeasure, many including the leading opposition candidate in the last presidential elections, Atiku Abubakar as well as Oyo lawmaker Akin Alabi have not only condemned the abuse but also pressed for punitive actions against erring lecturers.

While Atiku described the incidence as unacceptable and requiring systemic strategies to deter such behaviour, Alabi asked that “any lecturer exposed in the #SexForGrades documentary should be sacked, arrested and jailed,” via their Twitter handle on Monday.

The BBC documentary was one that captured lecturers’ sexual escapades with students at both the University of Lagos and University of Ghana. The Unilag lecturer who also doubles as a pastor was taped blackmailing the BBC African Eye reporter who posed as a 17-year-old into having sex with him for easy admission.

Since the video went public, several students from different institutions have taken the opportunity to share their experiences.

 

“Dr Adebimpe Raheem and Prof. Lanre Ajibade are lecturers of Geography department in the University of Ilorin, Ilorin Kwara State. They sleep with students in exchange for good grades and they threaten girls with an extra year. They have slept with 100s of girls. #bbcnews #SexForGrade,” @Temmytint, a twitter handler alleged.

Replying to @BBCAfrica, @abstraktid_ said: “In Obafemi Awolowo University, they are everywhere. There’s Dr Coker, Professor Babalola, Professor Uwasomba from English department. There’s Dr Bamigbade from Linguistics and African Languages. Also, Physical Health Education lecturers and sports coaches are among. I’ve been a victim and I still am a victim so I will speak I need freedom.”

Stand to End Rape, a youth-led movement advancing gender equality and an end to sexual and gender-based violence has pledged to press justice for victims.

This recent evidence of abuse is just one out of many that have come to light. Last year, Monica Osagie, a student of Obafemi Awolowo University secretly taped her lecturer demanding sex for better marks. After the being dismissed, the lecturer, professor Akindele remains in jail. Same is expected of this situation.