The Dean of the Faculty of Law, University Of Calabar, Prof Cyril Ndifon has again been suspended. This followed allegations of sexual harassment. I said “again” because reports have it that this same Prof Cyril Ndifon was suspended in 2015 over a rape charge. He was accused of raping a 20-year-old student in his office. Prof Ndifon challenged this in court. The outcome of that court case is still unknown. Prof worked his way back to being in the school and I suppose he continued his sexual exploits unchallenged because if he hadn’t there would never have been a protest against him.
So maybe he settled out of court with the victim in 2015.
Or like some are saying, maybe he bribed the victim and her family or did he threaten them as many predators are wont to?
We may never know.
We know the Prof was reinstated on campus and it was business as usual. Some said he got away with the rape charge!
This alone must have frightened his other victims. It means that no one can win a case against the Prof and so they resigned themselves to their uncertain fates. If he got away with it at the court, he will get away with it again. This for me is a major reason victims of rape and sexual harassment no longer report to authorities.
I’m inferring this from the fact that, this recent protest against him didn’t come because of any fresh allegations. No. Reports say, there are no fresh allegations of sexual harassment leading up to the campaign by students last week. So why the protest? Why the placards carrying words that nail him as a sexual predator?
Prof Ndifon claimed instead, that some students were used by some lecturers in his faculty because they were jealous of his leadership style.
Odiegwu!
For those who don’t know, Prof Cyril Ndifon was accused by some of his female students of sexual harassment. On X (FKA Twitter) last week, some female students of the Law Faculty protested in front of the admin building on campus. The placards on display are lurid and damaging as any sexual complaint can be.
https://twitter.com/OInnocxnt/status/1692539591536861373/photo/2
Prof Cyril Ndifon is described as a “breast grabber,” one who treats his female students like they were in a “brothel.”
Even though Prof Cyril Ndifon claimed that these allegations were the works of some jealous lecturers, no one seems to believe him. The Prof also claimed that only 100 level students, whom he didn’t teach were lured to participate in the protests. If he had no business with 100 level students, why would they be the ones protesting against his sexual harassment? Then it stands to reason that the protest was sponsored.
So does it mean the Prof is right?
The courts will tell…hopefully!
#CyrilNdifonMustGo
It’s apparent the Prof has no social media presence. He hasn’t read other damning stories of his sexual exploits reported by some of his “victims,” many of whom did so anonymously.
Why anonymous?
Victims of sexual harassment are often too “ashamed” to come out. Even though in reality, the “shame” should never be theirs in the first place. The few who do should never be shamed or stigmatised for doing so because it takes guts to come out and disclose sexual abuse or any abuse for that matter.
Thankfully, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof Florence Obi, has vowed that the university management would investigate the allegations. The students, however, would be required to provide evidence to back up their complaints.
Evidence!
We know these claims have to be evidenced based before they are taken seriously. That is not to say even those who have been brave enough to post their claims are not being truthful.
I believe they are but this is what the likes of Prof Cyril Ndifon bank on. Where is the evidence? If you say I sexually harassed you, where is your evidence?”
Which of the traumatized students kept notes, and recorded his threats to fail them if they didn’t give in to his sexual advances?
Who remembered to set a trap to get him, like having a friend standby when she went into his office and he grabbed her and the friend busted in?
Who remembered to send an email, or text to the Prof nailing him on his sexual requests?
Is there none?
If there is none, does that exonerate the Prof?
I hope by every means not.
What this means, however, is that Prof Ndifon understands how the law works. He didn’t become the Dean of the Faculty of Law for naught. He knows what would be required before a case is held against him and he has used this knowledge to his advantage.
Now, the VC is reported to have said an investigation will be carried out…I hope they find something to keep the Prof out of that campus forever…if not, it will be like being raped twice over.
I fear too early for my mind misgives some consequence …
I fear too early that the Prof will once again walk.
I fear no lecturer male or female, who has heard reports of the Prof’s sexual harassment will come forward to save these girls because if the Prof walks again, they will become targets for his revenge.
I fear that no male student from that faculty will step forward to bear witness to what they have seen or heard and therefore act as checks and balances in a society where some men think women/girls are just theirs for taking.
I fear the school may once again fail its female victims and God knows how many randy lecturers are having a field’s day on our young daughters.
https://twitter.com/Chidubem_OH/status/1691459560870170624/photo/1
https://twitter.com/Chidubem_OH/status/1691459560870170624/photo/3
Our people say there is no smoke without fire. These female students didn’t wake up one day to start pointing sexual harassment allegations at Prof Cyril Ndifon just because.
If the stories online are anything to go by, Prof Cyril Ndifon is a dirty old man.
If no lecturer in his department is lining up to his defence, Prof Cyril Ndifon has skeletons in his cupboard.
If he gets away again, then we will lose faith completely in our judiciary system. I pray it hasn’t got to this point.
https://twitter.com/Chidubem_OH/status/1691460548624531456/photo/1
Perhaps the police will be involved. I hope they will be. Our Police can be diligent when they want to be. I also know this may be a long drawn out war, I hope the victims will not get tired of the lengthy court processes and drop opt of the case.
Going forward, the school needs to put in place processes to reporting sexual harassments claims. If it exists, then that department must have reports of sexual harassment claims piled high against the Prof.
I hope the school gets to the bottom of this and victims find justice!