The Wife of Nigeria’s Former Vice President and the President of Women trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation in Nigeria (WOTCLEF), Mrs. Titi Atiku has called on the federal government to end the menace of sex for marks affecting female students across higher Institutions in Nigeria.
Mrs. Atiku also called on the members of the public to end stigmatisation of girls who are victims of different forms of abuse in tertiary institutions.
She made the calls during the occasion of 2022 Queen of Nigerian Institutions Beauty Pageant held in Abuja for students of Nigeria Universities.
Mrs. Atiku appealed to student Unions to support female students and speak out on the scourge of sex for marks, while equally protecting them from suspected lecturers.
According to her, “it is very disheartening to see and know how much our female students are harassed in universities, ladies need to learn to speak out and they cannot do this alone unless and until they get the support of fellow students who are males, union leaders to support them against these randy lecturers.”
She explained that girls are easily influenced by peer pressure and socio- economic challenges hence the need for parents to protect girls.
Campaign against Sex For Marks
A keynote speaker at the event, Deborah Omale, blamed some victims of the scourge for their woes saying sex for marks issue is triggered by lobbying for grades and quest for societal status by some females students.
Omale also blamed quest to catch up with trends of the society and needless financial pressure as factors responsible for some female students offering their bodies for marks.
According to her, “sometimes advantages are taken of this female students just because they ask for one or other financial assistance from the lecturers, a lot of these issue on sex for marks start with the ladies themselves ,most times they see themselves lobbying, they want to be financially independent through wrong means, many of them travel out of school campus to sleep with other men across other states to display wealth on campus through latest phones, wears and others and so they don’t have time to read nor sit for test or even exams and in turn they are willing and ready to offer their body for marks.”
Omale counselled that there is time and season for everything, she warned against women selling their “pride”.
She further called on the National Association of Nigerian students to work with unions of female students across campuses to end the menace of sex for grades in universities.
The Project Ambassador and Nigeria’s Nollywood veteran, Rita Edochie said the program was instituted to crown a queen of Nigerian institutions who will stand up as a beacon of hope and voice to the voiceless in universities across Nigeria.
The Convener of the project, Mbanefo Xender said the 2022 Queen of institutions beauty pageant was organised to fight against sexual exploitation of vulnerable young ladies in higher institutions.
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