The International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA has described as shocking and greatly disappointing, the role played by the Minister of Women Affairs, Barr. Uju Kennedy Ohanenye in the ongoing investigation of the embattled Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Calabar, Prof. Cyril Osim Ndifo.
In a statement signed by the Country Vice President/National President FIDA Nigeria, Amina Suzanah Agbaje, (Mrs.), FIDA condemned all forms of violence against Women, urging ‘all Students to Stand Tall and Speak their Truth!’.
An excerpt of the press release provides thus: “FIDA Nigeria strongly condemns in its entirety and in the strongest terms possible, all forms of gender-based violence against women, particularly those against female students in secondary and tertiary institutions by staff of the institutions, such as teachers and lecturers. In this vein, FIDA Nigeria totally condemns the alleged sexual harassment of female students by the embattled Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Calabar”.
“We vehemently denounce these acts as vile and an ugly menace that must be eradicated from our institutions of learning, and our society at large. Students are in school to be educated and must be guided and protected while learning, not to be intimidated and taken advantage of because of their vulnerability and/or gender.”
“FIDA Nigeria is keenly observing, and shall not hesitate to proceed against such perpetrators, and all persons or individuals who support such acts of violence either by their utterances or actions/ inaction, or who may try to suppress the reportage of these sort of violence meted out to persons. We remain steadfast on our mandate to protect, promote, and preserve the rights of vulnerable women and children using the instrumentality of law, strongly supporting and standing behind all survivors of violence of any kind, including those of sexual harassment and all forms of gender-based violence, and encouraging them to speak up on these crimes as their voices are meant to be heard, and justice delivered for the crimes perpetrated against them.”
