‘It’s regrettable’: Minister apologises over comment on UNICAL sex scandal

Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye

The Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has apologised over her comments on the sexual harassment scandal at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) in Cross River State.

This comes as a response to recent reactions by Nigerians on the sexual harassment involving the Dean of the UNICAL Faculty of Law, Prof. Cyril Ndifon.

The minister had, in a viral video, said the UNICAL students were being used and manipulated by some people to get Ndifon out of office.

She also threatened the students with dire consequences, including imprisonment if they continued to pursue the case of sexual harassment against the suspended professor.

She added that since the female students had admitted that they were not raped, it meant they were not sexually harassed.

However, Kennedy-Ohanenye, in a statement issued on Sunday, September 17, 2023, apologised for her comments on the sexual harassment scandal at the university and reiterated her commitment to justice, safeguarding, and advancing the rights and welfare of Nigerian women, including the pursuit of justice whenever their rights were violated.

She said: “I wish to express my sincere apologies to those who were offended by my comments and actions, regarding the sexual harassment scandal at the University of Calabar.

“This is extremely regrettable, as my intentions were sincere and aligned with my consistent advocacy for the welfare of Nigerian women and the pursuit of justice.

“I stand for all Nigerian women and I stand for justice and it is my hope that we can work together to actualise the dream of a country where women’s rights are respected and protected and where our daughters feel safe in institutions of learning.”

The Star