Concerns As Alleged Sexual Harassment By Lecturers In Nigeria Varsity Soars

A survey conducted by the World Bank in 2018 revealed a disturbing statistic – 70% of female graduates in Nigerian universities reported experiencing sexual harassment during their time as students.

It is disheartening to note that lecturers are often identified as the main culprits, along with fellow classmates of the victims.

The issue of sexual harassment has gained significant attention in recent news articles, shedding light on numerous cases across the country.

In the year 2023 alone, several lecturers were suspended and even terminated from their positions at universities in Lagos, Abuja, and Calabar due to allegations of sexual harassment.

Despite the introduction of a bill in 2021 that proposes a prison sentence of 21 years for such offences, many perpetrators continue to evade severe consequences.

Naija News understands that the under-reporting of incidents and victim-blaming further complicate the resolution of this pervasive problem.

Below Are Cases Of Lecturers Involved In Sexual Harassment

In April 2018, Richard Oladele, a professor of Accounting at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, was indefinitely suspended due to allegations of sexual harassment.

Furthermore, in 2021, the university took action against three lecturers from the Departments of English Language, International Relations, and Accounting, dismissing them for engaging in sexual harassment.

In February 2020, the institution also announced the suspension of Monday Omo-Etan, a lecturer at the Centre for Distance Learning, for sexually molesting a 19-year-old female student.

Similarly, in 2019, Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, suspended associate professor Monday Igbafen following allegations of sexual harassment involving female students.

At the time, Igbafen, who served as the chairman of the AAU branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, accused the vice-chancellor of the institution of attempting to falsely incriminate him.

The university’s Department of Philosophy received a letter from the senior lecturer’s lawyers, Osahon Irebhude & Co, demanding a written apology from the school.

This request was made by the senior lecturer in response to a certain incident. In September 2020, Imo State University suspended two lecturers due to allegations of sexual misconduct with female students.

Following suit, in February 2021, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, suspended a lecturer in the Department of Archaeology and Tourism, Dr Chigozie Odum, for similar allegations.

Also, in June 2021, the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, suspended a lecturer in the Department of Media and Theatre Arts for engaging in sexual misconduct.

The University of Lagos management recently made public the termination of employment of two lecturers for similar offences.

A lecturer in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literature at the University of Port Harcourt was dismissed for sexual misconduct, as announced in August of the same year.

In October 2021, the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, took action by dismissing two lecturers from the departments of Nutrition/Dietetics and General Studies due to sexual misconduct.

Ignatius Ajuru University of Education dismissed a lecturer from the Department of Sociology for impregnating a female student.

In December 2021, Kwara State University, Malete, took action by dismissing a lecturer due to allegations of harassing a student in the Department of Pure and Applied Sciences.

In January 2022, Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Rivers State, made the decision to dismiss a lecturer following reports of harassment towards a female student.

In April 2022, OAU initiated an investigation into claims of sexual harassment involving a professor in the Department of Linguistics and African Studies. This has resulted in the dismissal of two professors from the institution.

In June 2022, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof Abdul-Raheed Na’allah, announced the termination of two professors due to sexual misconduct.

In early 2023, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission brought charges against Dr Balogun Olaniran from Tai Solarin University of Education for allegedly soliciting sexual favours from a female student in exchange for altering her grades in 2021.

In March 2023, Abutu Thompson, a lecturer at Kogi State Polytechnic, faced termination due to accusations of sexual harassment and mistreatment of a female student in the Computer Science Department.

In May, Ambrose Alli University in Edo State reportedly terminated an unnamed lecturer following allegations of sexual misconduct.

According to reports, the lecturer was dismissed based on the findings of the institution’s Staff Disciplinary Committee, which determined his guilt in the matter.

The Vice Chancellor of AAU, Prof. Asomwan Adagbonyin, stated that the lecturer who was dismissed had insisted that he only made advances, yet he visited the girl’s church to ask for forgiveness.

In July 2023, UNIABUJA’s VC, Na’allah, announced the dismissal of two lecturers due to allegations of sexual harassment.

In August, the University of Calabar suspended Prof. Cyril Ndifon, the Dean of the Faculty of Law, over accusations of sexual harassment. Ndifon is currently in the custody of security personnel.

On September 7, 2023, the University of Lagos suspended lecturer Kadri Babalola, who was accused of raping a 21-year-old student.

Likewise, in October 2023, the Federal College of Forestry in Plateau State disclosed the suspension of four lecturers over allegations of sexual harassment involving female students.

Sign Sexual Harassment Bill Into Law – Oluwatoyin Urges President Tinubu

In a recent interview regarding the issue, the Director of Programmes at Reform Education Nigeria, Ayodamola Oluwatoyin, appealed to President Bola Tinubu to endorse the sexual harassment bill and pass it into law.

“The President signing the bill will be a game-changer. We need to make schools safe for our students. The most unfortunate part of the issue is that some of these students, even when harassed, are scared to come out in the open for fear of victimisation and other issues,” The PUNCH quoted Oluwatoyin as saying.

On her part, the ex-Programme Manager for Gender Justice at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation, Nafisa Atiku-Adejuwon, emphasized the importance of institutions taking proactive measures to protect survivors from additional harm and offering confidential channels for reporting incidents.

She also highlighted the necessity of fostering a culture of trust between university authorities and students.

“The response system has to be survivors-centred and holistic; mental and physical health concerns must be taken seriously. The response system shouldn’t be created to make the university look good; it should be to take care of the survivors,” she added.