Victor EzejaForum of Southeast Academic Doctors (FOSAD), says management of tertiary institutions across the country should take issues affecting the rights and well-being of students seriously, especially sexual harassment, and outrightly sack and prosecute any lecturer or non-academic staff found guilty of that in a law court.
In an exclusive chat with Prime Business Africa correspondent, Secretary General of FOSAD, Dr Uzor Ngoladi, said such acts should no longer be tolerated in any tertiary institution in Nigeria in this 21st century, adding that it poses a grave threat to the well-being of students, especially the female ones.
“We recommend a sack because such a person is a threat to the university system and should be sacked immediately. If the man is found guilty, he should be sacked immediately and prosecuted in a competent court of law,” Ngoladi said in a chat with Prime Business Africa.
Earlier in the week, the group had issued a press statement condemning the alleged case of s3xual harassment of a female married student by a lecturer at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN). FOSAD called for an impartial investigation into the matter and ensure that justice is served and also put in place, measures to protect students from becoming victims of such in the future. It also offered to assist UNN in the investigation and protection of students’ rights.
Ngoladi said FOSAD, a professional organisation that was founded in December 2023 with over 1,000 registered members, is a nonpartisan group dedicated to promoting academic excellence, ethical conduct and social responsibility in educational institutions across South East Nigeria. He added that the Forum also advocates the rights and well-being of students and supports the academic community in creating a safe and inclusive environment.
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The FOSAD secretary general said they had to issue the press statement “to take a stand that such act is condemnable and we are not going to tolerate it any longer.”
He said the group plans to organise protests in every tertiary institution across South East for school authorities to put a permanent measure to stop such practice.
“Such a thing is an archaic practice. These days, there are cameras everywhere. I can’t understand why a lecturer should be caught pants down inside his office,” he said. The human rights activist, and writer , expressed dismay that some people were trying to sympathise with the male lecturer that was involved, saying they were being seduced by some female students.
On protecting the rights of students in tertiary institutions, Ngoladi said FOSAD intends to organise seminars in states across the Southeast to sensitise the residents and urge the management of tertiary institutions to ensure that the right thing is done. “We want to also start organizing seminars and symposiums and talk with students. There is a need for awareness. We create awareness, there should be social interaction.”
Highlighting the activities of FOSAD, Ngoladi said that as a group of intellectuals, they are planning to host an international conference in Southeast Nigeria in May this year and in the United States in 2025. He said the conferences will engender robust intellectual exchange to promote indigenous human capital development.
“Right now, we are planning FOSAD International Conference in Nigeria and we have also set up a committee for another FOSAD International Conference that will be held in the US in 2025. We also have members in the Diaspora – America, and the UK, among others, where we have Ndigbo doing well in academics. One of them has taken it upon himself to organise an international press conference and also call for papers for the FOSAD International Journal in the US. The conference will be held sometime in 2025. We have started planning towards that.”
For the conference in Nigeria, he said it will take place either in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State or in Owerri, Imo State capital.
He further revealed that the group is also working on promoting the Igbo Apprenticeship System (Igba boyi), which has produced many billionaires; advocate skill acquisition to reduce unemployment, and encourage Southeast people including entrepreneurs, and captains of industry to see the need to make a concerted effort to develop the region through vital investments.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
