Madonna University, Elele Campus, Rivers State, has expelled a final-year nursing student identified as Mercy and suspended 14 other 500-level students over a viral TikTok video recorded on the university premises.
The video showed the students dancing in a hospital waiting area, staircase and inside a bus as part of the “Gen Z nurses” social media challenge, which features healthcare workers dancing in clinical environments.
Mercy reportedly appeared in the opening seconds of the video, dancing in a hospital hallway. She was said to have received her expulsion letter during the week.
The video, uploaded in August, later gained widespread attention after being shared by social media blogs. A 15-second version published by Yabaleftonline on September 1 reportedly attracted more than 1.7 million views on X by Saturday.
The clip carried a Pidgin caption which read: “No fall sick o, na Gen Z full hospital now.”
Following the backlash, medical influencer and TikTok content creator, Nurse Girma (@nurse_girma), drew attention to the incident and appealed to the university to reconsider the sanctions.
In a video posted on Friday obtained by The News Chronicle, Girma confirmed that the university Senate had approved disciplinary measures against the students.
According to him, the student who owned the TikTok account was expelled, while the other students involved were suspended.
He appealed to the university to temper justice with mercy, particularly because Mercy was a 500-level student who was close to completing her nursing programme.
The disciplinary action has generated mixed reactions on social media, with some users supporting the university’s decision and others describing the expulsion as excessive.
Supporters of the sanctions argued that the students, being final-year nursing students, should have understood the professional implications of recording and publishing such content in a clinical environment.
Others, however, argued that the university should have imposed a lesser punishment, such as community service, a warning or temporary suspension, rather than expulsion after years of academic and clinical training.
The National Executive Council of the Nigerian Universities Nursing Students’ Association (NUNSA) has also expressed concern over the sanctions.
In a statement signed by its National President, Madu Valentine, and Secretary-General, Ogwuche Joy, the association said it had commenced discussions with relevant authorities to seek a review of the decision.
NUNSA said its objective was to secure a “fair, just, and favourable resolution” while representing the interests and welfare of the affected students.
Similarly, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), through its President, Akinteye Afeez, appealed to Madonna University to show clemency.
NANS warned that expulsion at such an advanced stage could negatively affect the students’ academic progress, future careers and emotional well-being, urging the university to consider issuing a stern warning instead.
Reacting to the development, the Director of Communications and Public Affairs of Madonna University, Chima Achu, said the institution would issue an official statement on the matter.
“The university will officially respond to this issue, and you will get it on Monday,” Achu told Newsmen.
The university’s response is expected to clarify the circumstances surrounding the disciplinary action and its position on the viral video.
