The University of Calabar’s Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. Cyril Ndifon, has come under fire from a number of female law students for allegedly harassing them sexually on a regular basis.
Late on a Monday afternoon, they circulated in groups across campus while yelling, “Ndifon, go! go!”
The students held up signs that read, among other things, “Ndifon Must Go!” Law girls are not a bonanza, Prof. Ndifon must stop grabbing our bum bum, and “We’re tired of sucking dicks for marks.”
Comrade Benedict Otu, president of the Unical branch of the Law Students Association of Nigeria, or LAWSAN, led the students in their protest against Ndifon.
Prof. Ndifon responded over the phone, however, and refuted the many claims of sex harassment and heavy handed behaviour.
He asserted that some faculty members who had swore to bring him down were behind the law students’ demonstration.
Ndifon asserted that the kids’ accusations were outright lies intended to damage his reputation.
It hasn’t been simple since I emerged victorious in a hotly contested election to become the faculty dean. I had avoided a number of mines.
He claimed that the accusations were unfounded and were the work of his opponents, who had promised to ruin his reputation since he had twice won the faculty elections.
Ndifon made a comment about the placards’ single handwriting.
The signs have one person’s handwriting, as you can see if you look at them. Again, if it is not the work of an insider, how do the demonstrators know that we were scheduled to meet with the Vice Chancellor?
“We were meant to meet with the vice chancellor to resolve significant issues that were troubling us as faculty members. We were informed that while the meeting was going on, several students were outside holding signs in protest of me and demanding that I be fired,” he stated.
Ndifon said that the LAWSAN president had coerced several students into attending the gathering just to hand out placards that were falsely critical of him (Ndifon).
It won’t work, I said. My coworkers are out to ruin me by damaging my reputation. Where are the victims of sexual harassment, is the query. He asked.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Florence Obi, has reassured the students that the problems will be resolved in the meantime.
