Another side to the story

‘You know what, the more I look at this video the more I feel waves and waves of anger enveloping me.’ I said, looking up at Asabe and Maryam who are seated opposite me in the sitting room. ‘How can these men be so cruel, so evil as to subject young women to such degrading treatment, and all because they’ve found themselves in positions of authority over them.’ I added. ‘This is why I said no degree of punishment will be too much for these lecturers. Every single one of them indicted in the film, or through independent investigation should be stripped of his job, prosecuted and then given a long jail term. That way they’ll realise the gravity of their offence and be out of circulation long enough to change their ways.’ Maryam suggested.

‘Honestly, I think they deserve more than that. First of all, there should be adequate naming and shaming so that wherever they go they’ll never be proud to say their names. These means enough media coverage for their trials. Secondly, they should be blacklisted, such that even after their prison sentences they will never be able to teach anywhere on this earth. In today’s world of social media, their faces and profiles should be so widely circulated that try won’t be able to get a job anywhere, even if they leave Nigeria. Let them be so hated that they’ll end up doing menial jobs despite their chains of degrees. In any case, what is their education worth if it only equipped them to harass their female students and fail them in exams because they refused to play ball? Truly they are no better than stark illiterates who also have no notion of right and wrong.’ Asabe opined heatedly.

‘You are right Asabe, I mean these people are so morally bankrupt, they can’t lay claim to education in the true sense. By its very nature, education bequeaths in one the ability to distinguish right from wrong. But when a man old enough to be your father, openly solicits illicit relationship with you and also insists that that’s the only basis upon which he’ll grade your academic performance, what’s the difference between him and a full-fledged criminal?’ I asked.

‘There is none honestly. He is no better than an armed robber or a kidnapper or even a murderer. They are all villains of varying degrees.’ Asabe agreed.

‘The part that hurts me most is how easily they ruin the lives of those who turn them down. I’m sure you’ve heard the story of the BBC reporter herself. She said she was forced to abandon school in her second year because she refused to give in to harassment and the lecturer was busy failing her each time. In the end, she quit school and went away with nothing to fall back on. Besides, her father was dead and she had only her mother for support. I don’t know how she picked up the pieces of her life and ended up as a journalist, but it was sad knowing that she had to go through all that at the age of 19.’ I lamented.

‘But wasn’t there anyone she could talk to, who could intervene? I mean it doesn’t make any sense to me that the victims are mostly silent. Why did they not raise hell whenever their lecturers tried something inappropriate?’ Maryam demanded.

‘But some did. Didn’t you hear what some of the respondents in the video were saying? They said no one listened to them, no one believed them when they complained about the behaviour of those randy teachers.’ Asabe replied her.

‘Still, Maryam is right Asabe. If no one within the University system would listen or believe them why didn’t they tell their families? It doesn’t make the slightest sense that they suffered in silence. I don’t know why a harassed student cannot report the problem to her parents or guardians or even close friends. Why would anyone allow the situation to get to such a stage that they have to leave the campus due to repeated victimisation by a lecturer?’ I queried.

‘That’s the big mystery really, but maybe there is a cultural thing to it. I mean over here we’ll run to our families when faced with a problem like this, but over there, maybe it’s not expected of them to do the same and that’s why they ended up with a situation this bad.’ Maryam offered.

‘Whatever the case I think one thing we need to accept is that there is another side to this story. And that is the lack of a strong moral and spiritual orientation on the side of the victims. If these were young women whose basic home training instils in them a hatred for and an aversion to illicit sex, they won’t be so tolerant of people who demand it from them. They may detest the fact that their teachers demand it of them, but they do not see sex out of wedlock as a sinful and morally hateful thing to do. If they do, they won’t hesitate at all to take their complains to any quarters, whether family or authority because their revulsion is enough to drive them to any lengths. And this is the reason I invited you two here to discuss the matter.

I have given this issue a lot of thought, after seeing the sex for grades documentary and I realize that though we do not have the problem here, or even if we do, it’s not yet in the open, we must prevent it by further instilling in our youths more aversion for adultery and fornication. That’s the only way out. We have reached a stage in human existence where vice spreads very easily and prevention is our only option. Let’s make sure our children continue to see illicit sex as the dirty and dangerous thing that it is, no matter how glamorously it is portrayed in books and movies.’ I advised.

‘You are right Bint. We can’t say we are immune to such immorality because it isn’t prevalent here. We must, therefore, prepare for it by equipping our children with the right spiritual and moral upbringing.’ Asabe concurred.

‘This is really the way to go Sisters. Let’s begin the campaign soonest, beginning with our social media outlets.’ Maryam suggested.