The Vice Chancellor of University of Calabar Prof. Florence Banku Obi has assured the protesting female law students of the institution that as a listening administration, the concerned raised in their protests would be be adequately addressed.
The students who came under the aegis of Law Students Association of Nigeria, University of Calabar Chapter were led by the President of the Association, Comr. Benedict Otu to protest against alleged high handedness and sexual harrasement by the dean of their faculty, Prof Cyril Ndifon.
The students who were seen with different placards with different inscriptions which reads in part:
“Enough of Law School list manipulation”, “Prof. Ndifon must refund all illegal faculty charges collected”, ” Ndifon must go”, among others lamented that they are worried about their futures as the Dean always frustrate them with one flimsy reason or the other.
According to the association President,
“I and my colleagues are tired of the various forms of extortion and other shot practices specifically exhibited by the Dean of the faculty, Prof Cyril Ndifon.
“We are calling on the Vice-Chancellor to immediately stop all illegal charges, indiscriminate Law School list by the Dean. We are also not oblivious of the Dean’s harassment of our female students, among others. He added.
Addressing the students, the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Florence Banku Obi thanked the students for speaking up and comporting themselves in the most peaceful and noble manner which befit their profession.
“I thank y’all for speaking up and conducting yourself in the most noble and peaceful manner which you’ve done. This has clearly shown that you are learning and you are law-abiding students of this great institution
“We have heard your cry, we’ve heard your complaints. I want to assure you of one thing which I have always assured you of, we are an Administration because you are here as students. Our interest is to protect you. Our interest is to reform you into full citizens of the country which we can all be proud of. Our interest is to see that you graduate and don’t spend an extra day in the University.
“As an Administration, we have brought a lot of positive changes that will help you. All the changes we are bringing in this administration are targeting the good of the students. We get backlash from even some of us, but we are not given up as we are focused”
“You’ve told us your problems, be rest assured that we’ve noted them. This is a listening administration. Your Faculty will never be the same again as we’ve listened to you. We want you to comport yourself very well and give us time.
Assuring the students of her commitment to seeing them graduate successfully and go to the Nigerian Law School, Prof. Obi says the students should not feel threatened by anybody as the University will constitute a committee that will select those qualified for law school and not leave the task solely in the hand of an individual anymore.
Obi further admonished the students to remain peaceful and always respect their Lecturers even at the point of disagreement.
Speaking to the female students, the VC enchanted them to remain steadfast and never give in to any form of harassment, reassuring them that the administration remains firm and committed to her open-door policy.
