Two lecturers of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), who were involved in a s*x-for-marks scandal that rocked the institution in 2019, Boniface Igbeneghu and Samuel Oladipo, have been dismissed by the institution.
The dismissed lecturers were caught on camera demanding s*x from an undercover reporter acting as an admission-seeking ‘student’ in a BBC report.
Igbeneghu was a lecturer in the Department of European Languages and Integration Studies, Faculty of Arts while Oladipo lectured at the Department of Economics, Faculty of Social Sciences. Their dismissal was contained in a circular released by the school authorities on Wednesday, June 2.
The statement read, “The Governing Council of the University of Lagos, at its meeting on Monday, May 31, 2021, approved the immediate dismissal of Dr. Boniface Igbeneghu of the Department of European Languages and Integration Studies, Faculty of Arts and Dr. Samuel Omoniyi Oladipo of the Department of Economics, Faculty of Social Sciences, from the services of the University.
Council, at its meeting, considered the Report and findings of the Senate Committee set up to investigate allegations of sexual harassment levelled against them in a British Broadcasting Corporation World Service Investigative Series titled AFRICA EYE (which centred on sexual harassment in tertiary institutions).”
In October 2019, an undercover BBC report titled, ‘Sex for grades’ has verified allegations of sexual misconduct in some Ghanaian and Nigerian Universities. Led by BBC reporter Kiki Mordi, who as a university dropout due to similar instances knows first-hand the devastation of sexual harassment, goes on to reveal the under belly of the region’s most prestigious universities.
After gathering dozens of testimonies, BBC Africa Eye sent undercover journalists posing as students inside the University of Lagos and the University of Ghana.
The documentary details that, University policies typically forbid lecturers from having sexual relationships with students when they are in a position to influence their education or career. Additionally, flirtatious behaviour is considered misconduct.
However, this does not stop them from harassing female students and forcing them into compromising situations. In the documentary we see instances of derelict educators brazenly soliciting, pushing and threatening for sexual favours from the seemingly vulnerable students.
Professor Boniface Igbeneghu, a Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Arts; and a former Sub Dean of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), who also happens to be a Pastor at the Foursquare Gospel Church could be seen in the documentary trying to sexually harass a BBC reporter posing as a 17-year-old.
In the portion of the documentary where the Prof. appears, he is seen pouring a glass of wine for the undercover journalist, before instructing her to, “Switch off this light. Lock the door. I’ll kiss you for a minute.” he then goes on to share stories of how lecturers sexually molest female students in the University Staff Club.
“There is the upper part of the staff club where lecturers romance students. They take girls there, touch their breasts and body. They call it Cold Room…”
serves them right