The University of Calabar has appointed an acting dean for its law faculty after removing the substantive dean, Professor Cyril Ndifon, on allegations of sexual abuse.
The school picked Dr. Rose Ugbe to hold the position untill a new dean is elected for the faculty, the registrar Gabriel Egbe said in a statement Tuesday.
The dean will oversee the faculty’s academic programmes, “foster a healthy relationship among staff and students, and create a positive environment for teaching and learning in the faculty.”
She will also support faculty members in their research activities and collaborate with the university administration to implement and actualise the institution’s vision.
– Sexual abuse
The school last week suspended Mr Ndifon after female students accused him of sexual abuse.
The school said it was dissatisfied with his explanations and appointed a seven-man panel probe the allegations. The school’s alumni association demanded a university-wide investigation, saying Mr Ndifon’s case put the university’s name in a “terrible light”.
A video clip of the protest posted on Twitter showed the students, alongside their male colleagues, dressed in black and white uniforms, carrying placards and chanting songs.
“Faculty of Law is unsafe for the girl child,” one sign read. Another said: “Prof Ndifon, let girls with big breasts breathe. Stop suffocating us.”
Mr Ndifon is not new to allegations of sexual harassment. The university in 2015 suspended him over allegations of raping a 20-year-old law student in his office, an allegation he challenged in court.
He was later recalled and reinstated as dean of faculty after the suspension was lifted.
The vice-chancellor told Pluboard the professor was reinstated after he won the court case.
The school said during the suspension, the lecturer is to stay away from its premises except while responding to invitation from the panel investigating these allegations.
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