Three remarkable things happened this week with regard to the fight against sexual harassment in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions. First was the unveiling of a policy document on sexual harassment at the University of Port Harcourt, in Rivers State. Second was the sacking of eight lecturers at the Akwa Ibom State University, Uyo for sexual offences and the third, the second reading of the sexual harassment bill at the Senate.
On its part, the Akwa Ibom State University reportedly sacked eight lecturers found guilty of sexually assaulting and extorting their students. The university’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Eno Ibanga, explained that the decision to relieve the lecturers of their jobs was taken after a thorough investigation into their cases. He also swore to run an institution that could stand the test of time.
Other forms of sexual harassment identified in the bill are “grabbing, hugging, kissing, rubbing, stroking, touching, pinching the breasts or hair or lips or hips or buttocks or any other sensual part of the body of a student; or sending by hand or courier or electronic or any other means naked or sexually explicit pictures or videos or sex related objects to a student, and whistling or winking at a student or screaming, exclaiming, joking or making sexually complimentary or uncomplimentary...
How can a minister with such a myopic attitude think of taking any reasonable step towards solving a problem as serious as sexual harassment in the nation’s tertiary institutions? No one is denying the existence of some female students that believe they can use what they have to get what they want, but what is the population of such compared to the number of male lecturers that see their students as small animals that they could prey on? Of course, in the same vein, it would be wrong to assume...
Before anyone is deceived into believing that lecturers in advanced countries also harass their students, it is important to note that cases of sexual harassment in these countries are mostly among students on campus-not lecturers harassing students.