HOW PROF AKINDELE HARASSED MISS MONICA
I spared a moment to have some deep thoughts on what had just happened to Prof. Richard Akindele. I thought about the depth of damage that has been done to someone’s hard-built career and personal reputation. I thought about the shame, disgrace and embarrassment to Prof Akindele and his family, relatives and friends brought about by the scandal and his eventual dismissal from work - all for the sake of something as meaningless as sex. Quite a deep reflection I had over it. Let me declare my sympathy for the Professor over the whole issue. I sympathize with the Prof because I do not see any question of sexual harassment in the matter. What really is sexual harassment and what is sexual harassment in a matter where two consenting adults engaged in a negotiation for exchange of interests? The Miss Monica wanted an upgrade of her score, and the Professor asked her for sex in return. Wasn’t that a negotiation for exchange of interests? What you can only tell me is that the Prof’s action concerns professional ethics, bringing about disregard and dishonor to his profession. After listening to the online version of the telephone conversation, I felt very bad about how a university professor could descend so low and be so loose and cheap to a girl in a telephone conversation just in a bid to have sex with her. I hold university lecturers in high esteem, I place professors on a pedestal because the process of becoming a professor is quite a tedious one and for the fact that the task of knowledge impartation is an invaluable service to humanity.
I have always argued that a lecturer would hardly harass his female student who knows what she is doing (if the word harass may be taken to mean trying to use your position of authority over somebody to force the person to have sex with you). It doesn’t really happen. What usually happens is that a lecturer tries to exploit the weak performance of a female student by offering her the promise of a better grade in return for sex, or a female student who knows she has performed poorly in an exam seeks to have a grade better than she deserves, and the examiner demands sexual gratification in return. It is usually a give and take thing (exchange of interests) which is not a crime between two consenting adults. A girl would engage herself in a negotiation for exchange of interests, and at the end of the day turn back to make noise about sexual harassment (especially at a point where there is a breakdown in negotiation or the negotiation doesn’t go the way she prefers, as in the case of Monica and Prof Akindele. The conversation between Monica and the Prof suggests to me that the both of them were already having a relationship of some sort).
This is not a defense of those lecturers who go into sexual relationship with their students, even though there can only be a moral/ethical argument about it as far as I am concerned. My only issue with the professor in the matter is that he lowered his personal and professional dignity, in the manner he carried out the ‘negotiation’ (for something as meaningless as sex). And that reinforces on my mind, the importance of sexual discipline. Having bitterly tasted the consequences of indiscipline (indiscipline with money, indiscipline with time and indiscipline with the opposite sex), I now have a sharp consciousness of the importance of discipline - especially sexual discipline. And this is one thing I want to recommend to every man who knows he has a responsibility to affect humanity and society in some meaningful ways – A SHARP CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF SEXUAL DISCIPLINE. Sexual discipline will take care of a lot of things. It doesn’t mean we should no longer have sexual desires or try to pursue our sexual desires. It simply means doing things with some degree of reasonability and self control.
I respect female students – they can be powerful on campus. What God has put in the female creature seems to be a mystery. A mystery because it is capable of making even the mightiest and most revered of men to become a NOBODY in a moment.
Male lecturers should practice sexual discipline or at least have a consciousness of the importance of sexual discipline. Female students should help their male lecturers to groom them better. Every female student has a responsibility to read her books and respect herself in school, to go about her business on campus with some level of good comportment and dignity. If you have a poor grade in an exam, endure it and move on and do better next time. Or, contest the result through stipulated ways and channels if you are convinced you deserve a better grade. Or, if, as an adult you want to use what you have to get what you want in terms of a better grade, do it with every sense and manner of maturity and quietly move on. If you want to avoid sexual demands from your lecturer, avoid ab initio everything that could lead to it. Your lecturer is a canal being just like every other human being, do not tempt him. Do not try to trap your lecturer to ruin his career. While I agree that Prof Akindele’s conduct wasn’t right (morally and ethically speaking), I wonder what it shall really profit Miss Monica as the Prof’s hard-built career is now ruined and his means of livelihood taken away from him. I would have hailed her if it was really a matter of fight against sexual harassment. But it is not. Her action and the whole scandal is only a matter of failed negotiation (judging from their telephone conversation circulated online). It is not my intention to make her feel guilty anyway. I am only expressing my mind. Thanks for reading.
Kingsley Onwuka,
University of Port Harcourt

What if i have an under peforming staff, so i decide to ask for sex instead of sacking her. Is that sexual harrasment?

OP, I must say this lengthy post is a waste of space. I'm tempted to think you are a lecturer doing something similar or someone in cahoot with such persons.

What give and take are you talking about here? Should there even be any? Oh! In your mind, there's nothing wrong asking for sex in return for marks? Good grief!

Now, you're talking about someone's career being ruined. What's wrong in exposing those doing evil? Do you know how many people's lives such loose academics have ruined by their evil actions?

With all due respect, it's annoying seeing someone trying to defend such immoral acts. It's little wonder evil thrives in this country. What a shame!