Several female law students of the University of Calabar (UNICAL) have staged a protest in the institution, accusing one Prof Cyril Ndifon, Dean of Faculty of Law, of the University, of frequently harassing them sexually.
They moved about in groups on the campus late Monday afternoon chanting ‘Ndifon, go! go!’
The students displayed placards with various inscriptions, including “Ndifon Must Go!” “We’re tired of sucking dicks for marks”, “Law Girls Are Not Bonanza”, “Prof Ndifon Must Stop Grabbing our Bum Bum”.
President of the Law Students Association of Nigeria, LAWSAN, Unical branch, Comrade Benedict Otu led the students in the protest against Ndifon.
But reacting on the telephone, Prof Ndifon debunked the various allegations of high handedness and sexual harassment.
He claimed that the protest by the law students was masterminded by some persons in the faculty who had sworn to pull him down.
Ndifon claimed that the allegations from the students were barefaced lies aimed at tarnishing his image.
“Since I defeated some persons in an election that was keenly contested, to emerge as Dean of the faculty, it hasn’t been easy. I had skipped several booby traps.
“These allegations are baseless and masterminded by my detractors who had vowed to ensure that my image is dragged through the mud just because I won the faculty elections twice,” he said.
Commenting on the placards, Ndifon noted that they had sole handwriting.
“If you look at the placards you will discover that the placards have one person’s handwriting. Again how come the protesters know that we were going to hold a meeting with the Vice Chancellor if it is not the handiwork of an insider.
“We were supposed to hold a meeting with the Vice Chancellor to enable us iron out important issues troubling us in the faculty. While the meeting was on-going, we were told that some students were outside with placards, protesting against me, demanding that I should be removed,” he said.
Ndifon alleged that the LAWSAN president cajoled some students to come to the meeting venue, only to dish out placards bearing false representations against him (Ndifon).
“This won’t work. Colleagues of mine are bent on tarnishing my reputation just to destroy me. The question is where are the victims of the sexual harassment?” He queried.
Meanwhile, the Vice Chancellor, Prof Florence Obi has assured the students that the issues would be addressed.
The allegations have, however, generated reactions on social media, with many joining the students to lend their voices against the alleged sexual harassment.
Reacting to the development, a Twitter user @UnkleAyo wrote, “It will interest you to know that this same Professor was suspended in 2015 for raping a law student in his office. Why was he reinstated? How did he end up becoming a dean again? The V.C of UNICAL is obviously of questionable character.”
@trinityboi wrote, “Female students of the Unical Faculty of Law are currently protesting against their Dean, Prof. Ndifon Cyril. He is notorious for sexually harassing female students. These students are now being threatened with expulsion. When will these men stop this act? This is one of the longest lingering problems most females face in school. Lend a voice ✍️.”
Moreso, The African Women Lawyers Association has charged the Inspector General of Police to investigate the case of rape against a university professor, Prof. Cyril Ndifon.
In a statement signed by the President of the association, Mandy Asagba and Peju Oduye-Quadri, Secretary General, AWLA noted its determination ‘to end indignity to women and girls.’
The statement reads in part “We received with utter consternation the news of the alleged sexual harassment and assault by the Dean of the Faculty of Law Prof. Cyril Ndifon on the Female Law Students of the University of Calabar in Cross Rivers State leading to their protest demanding that he must go for restoration of their sanity and dignity.
“Sexual Harassment is illegal, unconstitutional and criminal and must be condemned in its entirety. AWLA condemns the act utterly.
“We at African Women Lawyers Association add our voices to this call. We hereby call upon the Inspector General of Police to immediately wade into this and ensure a proper investigation into this allegation and prosecution if found culpable.
“It is time to end this terror unleashed on Nigerian girls on Campus. AWLA is set to ensure these young girls get justice. To imagine that a Professor with the antecedent of sexually harassing students could be appointed a Dean is most worrisome as he had been accused of similar acts in the past.
“We call on the relevant Authorities to look into this and ensure that such randy lecturers are weeded out of the University system early in order not to endanger the female students.
“A University is a place of learning and inculcating morals, integrity and Character. The thought of such morally bankrupt and or deranged persons in a learning environment is toxic and must be weeded out fast.
“We therefore call on the University to immediately suspend the Professor pending the investigations.
“We also seize this opportunity to warn any institution of learning that condones such terror on female students, as AWLA has set up a GBV Schools Monitoring Committee to look into complaints from female students from all Institutions of learning in Nigeria and would ensure such institutions are dealt with legally.
“AWLA is poised to end indignity to women and girls.”
