The trend in the blogosphere in Imo State in the past few days has been the ugly tale of some lecturers at the Imo State University who were caught pants down with their female students.
One of the lecturers caught naked in his hotel room with his student is the Head of Department of Biochemistry.
This is one out of the many ugly stories we read and hear about lecturers’ unquenchable libidos and moral bankruptcies in Imo State University and other tertiary institutions across the country.
It is worrisome that a place where people are trained both in learning and character has become a place where the supposed trainers feast on the gullibility and naivety of the trainees. Institutions of higher learning the world over command high respect for their roles in the political and socio-economic transformation of the society.
The Nigerian tertiary institutions, no doubt, have come a long way in moulding leaders and intellectuals, who have not only shaped the destiny of this nation but systematically created icons who contribute their intellectual endowments to the advancement of the world.
Apart from being the centre for the acquisition of relevant skills, the tertiary institutions champion the course of the oppressed and are equally instrumental in introducing socio-political reforms anytime, anywhere.
But a close look at the activities in our campuses these days, paints a completely negative picture. The stories coming out from our citadel of learning are not only discouraging but betrays the moral standard for which campuses are known. Cultism, bribery, prostitution, sexual harassment and gratification are the ills seriously threatening the moral foundation of the tertiary institution in the country.
As the clock ticks the good principles that are the pillars of our tertiary institution are being seriously eroded by some morally debased set of people who are supposed to acts as teachers, lecturers, mentors and fathers to the students.
It is appalling that an environment believed to be a moulding ground for men and women is where the highest record of sexual harassment and illicit office romance occur. Some lecturers forcefully demand sexual gratification from students (most times females) to pass them in their courses.
Some female students as well, willingly, even before the lecturer demands it, offer themselves, in pursuit of unmerited marks and grades. It is pitiable when one thinks of what awaits the future of the country when it inevitably falls in the hands of students, who either offered bribe or sex in exchange of grades that appeared in their certificates. Ludicrously, the common accusation by these lecturers is that, these students, through their provoking mode of dressing lure them to demanding for such gratification.
This is a lazy, baseless and infantile excuse from men who are bankrupt, spiritually and morally. I have friends and relations who are studying outside the shores of the country many of them are in the universities in the UK.
The mode of dressing of the students over there is worse than what we see in Nigerian campuses, yet, and to my bewilderment, there are few reported cases of sexual harassment from their lecturers.
As much as I believe that the dressing of our girls of today and mothers of tomorrow is nothing to write home about, it does not serve as a cogent reason for sexual harassment of the students. Where is self-control?
Does it mean that same lecture would lust over his daughter, if she dresses indecently? Admittedly, our female students have their failings, some seduce and even sexually blackmail their lectures so as to easily scale through the school system.
Laziness has become synonymous to the academic lifestyle of these students. They pursue frivolities and unnecessary social life, which add no value in their lives.
These students often device so many means of sexually trapping any lecturer they want to get to submission.
Lecturers in our campuses seem to have cashed in on the lifestyles of these sex freak students to frustrate others who don’t heed their evil demands.
In their thinking, every girl who wishes to pass their courses must do what desperate and lazy others are doing.
This mindset is the reason behind the series of reported cases of sexual harassment, initiated by lecturers, in our tertiary institutions. In a society like ours, where the government does not care about the protection of the rights of the citizens, who will listen to the voices and cries of the innocent victims, who are on daily basis affected, bullied, forcefully deflowered and cajoled into submission to give out their God given jewels to some irresponsible men, who call themselves lecturers? Most times I wonder if these men have conscience.
Don’t these flesh thirsty men know that the law of karma awaits them, and that their children could as well face similar treatment they subjected their female students to?
These lecturers may be having a field day because the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Academic staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union are only interested in embarking on strike actions every now and then, than checkmating the menace that is fast ravaging our revered higher institution.
What manner of discipline and sanctions have they (ASUU, ASUP) meted against their members who are found wanting morally? And if there are, do they implement such disciplinary measures on their members who erred, to serve as detriment to others?
These are questions begging for answers. Evil continues to happen because of the silence of men of integrity.
I believe we have kept quiet for a while and our silence is beginning to affect our society. What role are we playing as parents, tertiary institutions administrators, students and unionists to tackle this problem? As I write this, somewhere at this moment, students are having sleepless nights and thoughtful days on how to escape the sexual advances of some lecturers, most of whom are even old enough to be their father.
This treacherous and precarious act, if allowed to continue, will not only lead to wanton sexual assault but also bury whatever that is left of humanity.
Today, our nation is lagging far behind in development. The Nigerian society has become a paradox. A nation rich in both mineral and human resources, but sadly saddled within morally bankrupt and visionless leadership and sinful followers! What do you expect from a nation whose engine that filter and mould the mindset of its supposed leaders at all levels of developmental process is polluted by ungodly tutors who do not possess the moral standard and spiritual prowess to be in these all-important institutions?
While I commend the lecturers who have at all times proved their mettle, it is imperative to note that, until the bad eggs in our tertiary institutions are identified and shown the way out of our tertiary institutions across the federation, bad leaders will continue to rule this corporate arrangement called Nigeria, because it is often said that “unless the society enlightens itself with brotherly thinking and noble qualities, it will never gain harmony or unity therein”.
All hands must be on deck for us to successfully fight this monster that is threatening the foundation of fairness, hard work and excellence in academics.
May God protect and guide our lads from the evil mechanization of these men who take pride in debasing womanhood and with impunity, Amen.
