Students Rally Against Law School Dean for Alleged Sexual Harassment
Female students at the University of Calabar in Nigeria staged a peaceful rally on Monday to protest against Cyril Ndifon, the Dean of the Faculty of Law, accusing him of sexual harassment. The students gathered outside an administrative building on campus, brandishing placards with messages such as Prof Ndifon, let the girls with big breasts breathe. Stop suffocating us. Although mostly women participated in the protest, some male students also joined in.
In response to the rally, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Florence Obi, addressed the students and assured them that their complaints would be thoroughly investigated. However, she emphasized that in order to pursue charges of sexual harassment, the students would need to provide evidence to support their claims. The university received an official complaint from the students last Thursday, and a meeting between student representatives and Mrs. Obi took place prior to the protest. Following the demonstration, the vice-chancellor held a five-hour meeting with the faculty management to discuss the situation and announced the formation of a committee to address other student concerns.
This is not the first time Cyril Ndifon has faced allegations of sexual misconduct. In 2015, he was suspended by the university after being accused of raping a 20-year-old law student in his office. However, Ndifon contested the accusation in court, and although there is no evidence that he was exonerated, his suspension was lifted under unclear circumstances about a year later.
In response to the recent protest, Ndifon claimed that the rally was orchestrated by Ben Otu, the President of the Law Students Association, who he described as a pawn in a power struggle within the law faculty. Ndifon suggested that some faculty members were behind the demonstration and questioned why only first-year students participated. He denied the sexual harassment allegations, stating that he does not teach any courses to the first-year students and therefore has limited interaction with them. When reminded of the previous allegation against him, Ndifon asserted that his only transgression was tearing a student’s examination script and allowing her to rewrite it.
The case of Cyril Ndifon has sparked a debate on campus, with different perspectives emerging. While the students who protested demand accountability and an end to sexual harassment, Ndifon maintains his innocence and questions the motives behind the allegations. As the university management undertakes its investigation, it is crucial to provide a fair and impartial process that addresses the concerns and experiences of all parties involved.
