The recent expulsion of a female student from Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) for assaulting a lecturer has sparked the internet. While many condemned the student’s excessive behavior, others, like myself, believe that the punishment was too harsh.
Expulsion from a university is equivalent to capital punishment, and such a severe penalty should be reserved for capital offenses like rape, murder, arson, and violent cultism. Assault, though unacceptable, does not warrant expulsion.
The university system should be a corrective institution, focusing on moral, character, and integrity development. Instead, UNIZIK seems to have bowed to the pressure of social media mob mentality.
One cannot help but wonder if the punishment would have been the same if the student had assaulted a non-academic staff member or a fellow student. It’s unlikely.
The assaulted lecturer, though justified in seeking justice, may not have wanted the student to be expelled. His demeanor during the incident suggested a gentleman who would not have sought to destroy the student’s future.
Both the student and the lecturer have learned valuable lessons from the incident. However, expelling the student was an overkill, akin to killing a mosquito with an AK-47.
UNIZIK authorities should have demonstrated that they run a disciplined institution focused on reform, not destruction. A suspension for at least an academic session would have been a more fitting punishment.
Furthermore, this incident raises questions about the university’s constitution and disciplinary procedures. If an institution can go to such lengths to punish a student for a non-capital offense, it suggests that their constitution needs to be reviewed and rewritten. The rules should prioritize rehabilitation and growth, rather than destruction and punishment.
As someone who has experienced unjust expulsion and rustication firsthand, I understand the importance of fair punishment. Let us not forget that our universities should be institutions of correction and growth, not destruction.
