The Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar, Professor Cyril Ndifon, has vehemently denied the sexual harassment allegations brought against him by some female students of the faculty. The allegations triggered a protest led by Benedict Otu, the President of the Law Students Association of Nigeria (LAWSAN), who called for Prof. Ndifon’s dismissal.
During the protest, students marched through the campus, carrying placards with explicit messages.
In an exclusive interview with Cross River Watch, an online news platform, Prof. Ndifon refuted the allegations, claiming that the protest was orchestrated by a group within the faculty that harbored animosity towards him.
He stated, “Since my victory in the fiercely contested election for the position of Dean of the faculty, I have faced numerous obstacles. These allegations are baseless and simply manipulated by my detractors, who are determined to tarnish my reputation because I won the faculty elections twice.”
Prof. Ndifon also highlighted the similarity in handwriting on the protest placards, suggesting that they were all crafted by a single individual.
He further questioned how the protesters were aware of a meeting he was having with the Vice-Chancellor unless there was an insider involved.
“While we were in the middle of a meeting with the Vice-Chancellor to address crucial issues affecting the faculty, we were informed that some students were outside with placards protesting against me, demanding my removal,” Prof. Ndifon revealed.
According to his account, Benedict Otu, the LAWSAN President, allegedly misled the students by telling them they were attending a meeting with the Vice-Chancellor, only to surprise them with placards containing false accusations against the dean.
“This won’t work,” Prof. Ndifon stated firmly. “Some of my colleagues are determined to tarnish my reputation and destroy me. The question is, where are the alleged victims of sexual harassment? Can someone be accused of harassing girls without any of them coming forward to report the incidents?”
He continued, “I don’t even teach Year two or Year one students, so I fail to comprehend why they have chosen to besmirch my name. These allegations are baseless fabrications concocted purely to destroy a reputation that I have built over decades.”
