A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Bamidele Salam has made a passionate appeal to the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) to reconsider the expulsion of a student, Goddy-Mbakwe Chimamaka Precious involved in an assault case, describing the punishment as too harsh.
The lawmaker, representing Ede North, Ede South, Egbedore, and Ejigbo Federal Constituency of Osun State in a post on Friday, urged the university to offer the student a second chance as he shared a personal experience.
On Friday, authorities of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University expelled Precious for assaulting a lecturer from the Department of Theatre and Film Studies.
The announcement was made by the Acting Registrar, Victor Modebelu.
According to him, the decision followed the recommendation of the Student Disciplinary Committee, which found the student’s actions to be a gross violation of the institution’s disciplinary regulations, specifically Regulation 4 (SDR).
The statement read, “The Acting Vice-Chancellor has received the report from the Student Disciplinary Committee on the case of your assault on a lecturer from the Department of Theatre and Film Studies, which was found to be a gross misconduct and violation of the Students Disciplinary Regulations particularly Regulation 4 (SDR).
“Consequently, the Ag. Vice-Chancellor has, on behalf of the University Senate, approved the Committee’s recommendation that you be expelled and you are hereby expelled from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. The expulsion takes immediate effect.
“You are expected to vacate the University premises immediately and return any University property in your possession.”
How the incident happened
The incident, which gained widespread attention after a video surfaced online on Tuesday, reportedly involved Precious attacking the lecturer identified as Dr. Chukwudi Okoye.
The student attacked the lecturer after he interrupted her while she was recording a TikTok video in the university hallway.
Online videos show the student, Precious, filming when Okoye, a Theatre Arts lecturer walked by. He tapped her and said, “Excuse me.”
The student reacted angrily, giving him a disapproving look and complaining to someone off-camera, “Can you imagine, he just hit me.”
In other videos, Ms. Mbakwe is seen confronting Mr. Okoye, questioning why he interrupted her. The situation quickly escalated, attracting the attention of other students and officials, and turned chaotic.
The footage shows the student aggressively fighting the lecturer, tearing the right side of his brown traditional outfit. She held onto him tightly, while Mr. Okoye, who appears to be in his 50s with slightly grey hair, did not fight back.
Photos online reveal deep bite marks on the lecturer’s arms, and another image shows him receiving medical treatment, reportedly at the school clinic.
Reps member makes a case for student
Meanwhile, Hon. Bamidele, in his appeal on Friday evening, recounted his own experience as a student leader in 1992 when he and four others were expelled from their university for “gross misconduct and insubordination” to constituted authority.
He explained that such terms were often used during the military regime to suppress student activism and civil rights advocacy. Reflecting on the impact of his expulsion, he expressed gratitude for overcoming the setback, stating that it could have ended his education and future prospects.
The lawmaker noted that while the student in question deserves punishment, expulsion should not be the final decision. He described the student as a “silly girl” and presumed first-time offender, pleading for her punishment to be reduced if she shows remorse and a willingness to change.
He als oargued that expulsion could ruin her life and future opportunities, urging the university to avoid throwing her “into the wilderness of life.”
He said; “She certainly deserves to be punished but for some reasons, I don’t like expulsion as a punishment for any student. I and four other students Union leaders were expelled from a university in 1992.
“I was in my final year. Our offenses were “gross misconduct and insubordination to constituted Authority.” Those were terms generally used to describe students activism against the then-military rule and it’s repression of civil rights.
“But for God’s mercies, it could have been the end of my schooling and meaningful life.
“So, I will plead on behalf of this silly girl, whom I presume to be a first-timeoffender, that if she shows some remorse and willingness to change, that expulsion should be commuted to a lesser punishment so that we don’t throw her to the wilderness of life.”
