Sex For Grades Scandal: My Life Under Threat- BBC Journalist
The BBC journalist, Kiki Mordi, has told SaharaReporters that she had received subtle threats since her widely applauded undercover investigation into sexual harassment of female students by male lecturers at the University of Lagos and the University of Ghana was published.
The investigation, which took almost a year, saw Mordi and other undercover female journalists secretly filming randy lecturers in both universities, trying to use their positions to demand sex from young ladies in order to favour them academically.
According to Mordi, who said on Monday that the project was inspired by her personal story, she is not bothered by those threats because the BBC takes the security of employees very seriously.
“I am happy that a lot is changing already since the documentary was released and I can confirm to you that one of the lecturers at UNILAG caught sexually harassing a prospective student has been dismissed by the institution. I believe it doesn’t stop there until there is a conviction. We have to break that culture of impunity.”
The University of Lagos has indeed issued a statement, suspending one of the lecturers indicted in the saga, Dr. Boniface Igbeneghu.
The varsity’s spokesperson, Mrs. Taiwo Oloyede, said “Igbenegu was caught in a sting operation
Meanwhile, the National President of NANS, Danielson Bamidele Akpan, says he received over 70 complaints within 24 hours that the documentary was released online on Monday from students who claim they have been victims of sexual harassment by lecturers in Nigerian universities.
“I am glad that Nigerian female students are opening up with lots of confidence, as their parents are disregarding societal stigmatisation. Most of the female students present facts and evidence and are ready to speak publicly.”
The student leader alleged that labour unions in universities, polytechnics, colleges of education as well as secondary school principals were also culprits in the sexual harassment of female students in educational institutions.
“They protect/shield their randy colleagues from being disgraced and prosecuted. We would soon end that era of sexual harassment on our campuses. We won’t keep quiet anymore. Rather, we would come down hard on lecturers or any official of institutions found to be molesting female students sexually for whatever reason. Enough of sexual harassment and abuse against students by lecturers.”
