Unic Press UK: An undercover investigation by the BBC Africa Eye has unraveled sexual harassment by lecturers in some Universities in Africa, giving credence to the endemic, age-long licentious hues of some of the men holding positions of trust in the academia – the University of Lagos and the University of Ghana.
Sequel to a dossier of testimonies by the victims and several people, who are aware of the appalling sexual harassment by libidinous men, the BBC Africa Eye dispatched a team of undercover journalists posing as students of the University of Lagos located in Nigeria and the University of Ghana.
In the course of its investigations spanning over a year, the BBC team wore secret cameras and recording devices, and captured on camera University lecturers’ demanding sexual relations in exchange for assisting the ladies.
In the video seen by Unic Press correspondent, a BBC reporter Kiki Mordi said that a 9-month period of interviewing some current/former students of the University of Lagos and some of the students at the University of Ghana had led the BBC team to one Dr Boniface Igbeneghu of the University of Lagos, a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Arts, former sub-dean, and the head pastor of a local Foursquare Gospel Church; and Dr Paul Kwame Butakor of the College of Education at the University of Ghana.
University of Lagos (Unilag)
In the case of the University of Lagos (Unilag), a female undercover journalist posed as a 17-year-old seeking admission. In one instance, Dr Igbeneghu is seen/heard on video saying that female students pay with their body to get good grades.
“You’re a very beautiful girl. Do you know I’m a pastor? Do you know, and I’m in my fifties? What will shock you is that even at my age now if I want a girl of your age, a 17-year-old, all I need is to sweet tongue her and put some money in her hand. At what age did you start knowing men? At what age did you start having sex?. There’s an upper part of the staff club there, where lecturers, when they take girls there, they go there to go and smooch them and romance them… touch their breast… it’s a club. So they call it the cold room inside that staff club.”
The BBC also reports that some former students of Unilag had spoken on conditions of anonymity, alleging that they were repeatedly groped by Dr Boniface who seems to target vulnerable/struggling students. One of the alleged victims claims to have contemplated suicide as often as four times.
University of Ghana
Dr Paul Kwame Butakor of the College of Education is the person named by the BBC Africa Eye with regard to the sexual harassment at the University of Ghana.
The BBC Africa Eye sent an undercover journalist posing as a final year student looking towards enrolling for a masters degree at the University, and in the course of a one-on-one discussion, Butakor, who offered the undercover reporter work placement in the department where he serves as a lecturer.
“How many guys have told you you’re beautiful today? Let me be your side boy, side guy. Men have side chicks. Maybe you’ll be my side and I will also be your side. Because me, I’m married, my wife is not in the country though”, Butakor said.
