Thread by @BBCAfrica

Thread:

Sex for Grades - university lecturers harassing female students, pressuring them for sex in return for grades or admission - is a scandal that's gone on for decades.

You asked #BBCAfricaEye to investigate.

This is what we found.

Full doc:

We began by listening to women at two of West Africa’s most prestigious institutions: University of Lagos #UNILAGNigeria & University of Ghana #Legon.

Their stories - stories of fear, stories of intimidation, stories about the naked abuse of power - were deeply disturbing.

These women, for example, told us some shocking stories about a senior lecturer at the University of Lagos.

To protect them, we designed masks to conceal their faces. Their voices have also been changed.

The professor she’s talking about is Dr Boniface Igbenehu.

He’s a lecturer in French and a Pastor at the local Foursquare Gospel Church, close to the University of Lagos campus.

The testimonies were damning. But to get hard evidence we needed to go further.
One young journalist went undercover, wearing a hidden camera & posing as “Kemi,” a 17yo school grad seeking admission to #Unilag.
Dr. Boniface invited “Kemi” to his office for a series of tutorials.

Not long into their first meeting, Dr. Boniface began to comment on her appearance.

A few days later, Dr. Boniface invited “Kemi” back to his office and suggested they pray together. But this did not feel like a normal prayer...

[Warning – some people might find this footage disturbing.]

Towards the end of this meeting, he began to ask “Kemi” about her sex life. Remember, she was pretending to be 17 - below the legal age of consent in Lagos State.

While we were investigating in Lagos, another #BBCAfricaEye team was on the ground at the University of Ghana.

This is one of the finest universities in Africa, a training ground of politicians and presidents.

But #Legon has a problem.

Weeks of listening to female students led us towards a lecturer in the college of education: Dr. Paul Kwame Butakor.

Again, we sent an undercover journalist – “Zara” - to meet him. She posed as a student interested in a master’s degree & a work placement in his faculty.

"Zara" tried to keep the conversation academic.
But Dr. Butakor took it in a different direction. Having offered her a national service work placement in his faculty, he repeated pressed to become her "side guy" (in effect, a second boyfriend).

Uni of Ghana forbids lecturers having sexual relationship with students when they’re in a position to influence students’ careers or education. Flirtation is considered misconduct.

But Butakor pressed on, suggesting that a "side guy" might contribute to "Zara’s" career.

We put our evidence to Dr. Butakor and he responded:

The University of Ghana also responded:

We also spoke with Oluyemesi Obilade, a Professor of Women’s Studies.

She told us about the power dynamics that shape these encounters between students and lecturers.

Back at the Uni of Lagos “Kemi” – our first undercover journalist – continued to meet Dr Boniface, seeking admission.

This time, he told “Kemi” about a secret room, directly above the senior staff club, where "lecturers take girls" to "smooch" and "touch" them.

This place is called "the cold room" – and we got inside.
An undercover journalist was invited there by a lecturer.

Inside, young women – we were told they were #UNILAG students celebrating a birthday – were dancing and drinking with older male staff.

Back in his office, Dr. Boniface told “Kemi” that relations between female students and lecturers might “benefit” the girls… but only if they paid with their bodies.

#SexForGrades

In “Kemi’s” final encounter with Dr. Boniface, his behaviour grew more intimidating. He began by giving her non-alcoholic wine.

He told her that, in order to “achieve her aim”, she would need to be “obedient”.

His requests became more and more inappropriate.

After a while Dr Boniface went into the bathroom. When he came out, he switched off the lights, and told “Kemi” that the door was locked.

Without consent, Dr. Boniface sat down with “Kemi” and wrapped his arms around her.

Remember, this man – fifty-something, a lecturer and a pastor – has been told “Kemi” is a 17 year-old girl.

He eventually released her when she made an excuse and went to the bathroom.

When she emerged, Dr. Boniface laughed at her. He called her “stiff” and warned her again to be more obedient.

We put our evidence to Dr. Boniface. He did not respond.
The University of Lagos sent us this statement:

The Foursquare Gospel Church, where Dr Boniface was (until today) a pastor, also sent this statement:

These revelations are just part of what #BBCAfricaEye uncovered during this ground-breaking expose of #SexForGrades.

#NothingStaysHiddenForever

Again, here’s the link to the full film on @BBCAfrica’s YouTube channel:

We would like to thank the brave undercover operatives who led this investigation, hoping that this story might put an end to decades of harassment and abuse.
Your identities remain hidden (but you know who you are ✊🏿).

This investigation was led by @kikimordi and “Kemi.

It was producer & directed by @CNorthcott1 & produced by @ChFrancavilla for #BBCAfricaEye.

@kikimordi @CNorthcott1 @ChFrancavilla The #BBCAfricaEye team would like to thank the more than 60 current and former students interviewed in the course of this #SexForGrades investigation.

We are also grateful for the contribution of @AyodejiOsowobi @THEAWAZI @StandtoEndRape @wfm917 and other NGO workers and journalists who helped us uncover the hidden scale of university sexual harassment and abuse.

Nothing stays hidden forever.