UNIZIK Lecturer at Fault in Student Altercation, Shouldn’t Have Touched Her, Says Nigerian Man

A Nigerian man has weighed in on the recent altercation between Chukwudi Okoye, a lecturer at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), and a female student, Precious Mbakwe, stating that the lecturer initiated the problem.

The incident, which was caught on video, began when Precious was dancing in a corridor within her department. Okoye, needing to pass, tapped her while saying, “Excuse me.” Precious responded with a snide remark, prompting the lecturer to return, confront her, and attempt to confiscate her phone. The situation escalated into a physical confrontation.

Speaking on a radio program, the commentator argued that Okoye’s physical contact with Precious was inappropriate and unnecessary. He criticized the lecturer’s approach, emphasizing that he could have asked her to move without touching her.

“He didn’t behave like a lecturer. You can say ‘excuse me’ without touching people, especially when it’s a female student. As a teacher, you are supposed to be above that. The touch was the beginning of the whole problem,” he said.

He further noted that many Nigerians have a habit of making physical contact when saying “excuse me,” questioning the necessity of such behavior.