Sex for Grades: Sexual Harassment in Nigerian Universities and Documentary Activism
Sexual harassment in Nigerian universities is an intractable social problem that is just as hard to prove as it is to eliminate. In 2010, a group of Nigerian researchers published the result of a study conducted among female graduates of Nigerian universities which showed that nearly 70% of them had experienced sexual harassment in their institutions of learning, most times at the hands of their male professors or classmates (Owoaje & Olusola-Taiwo, 2010). The World Bank Group (2018) published similar findings as well and noted that victims of sexual abuse often experience depression or insecurity on university campuses. For female students who are abused by their professors, these consequences are even direr because they face the added risk of academic failure and social stigma if they do not give in to their wishes. In spite of the prevalence of this issue and its inherent detrimental effects, allegations of sexual harassment by male professors are often discredited by university authorities for lack of evidence (Sex for Grades, 2019).
However, a large corpus of proof surfaced in October 2019 when a group of Nigerian journalists, led by investigative reporter Kiki Mordi, undertook a covert mission to uncover evidence of sexual harassment by professors in two West African universities- the University of Lagos (Unilag) and the University of Ghana (Vaughn, 2019). The result of their investigations was a BBC Africa Eye documentary titled Sex for Grades that showed how male university professors use threats and blackmail to pressure students for sexual favors in exchange for good grades or career boosts. This paper analyzes the effects of the said documentary on the Nigerian society where it provided compelling evidence of sexual harassment in universities, incited anti-sexual harassment activism in the form of an online #SexforGrades campaign, and contributed to the formulation of reformative national and institutional policies (Otieno, 2019). These effects demonstrate the peculiar role of the documentary to motivate social change because its unique characteristics of civic motivation, journalistic integrity, and entertainment value lend themselves to powerful activism (Chattoo, 2020). Therefore, by analyzing the use of these features in Sex for Grades and examining its impacts on Nigerian society, this paper argues that the documentary is a vital medium for promoting social change because it humanizes social issues, sparks community activism, and influences changing national systems. The first section of the paper will be an attempt to provide some context for the issue of sexual harassment in Nigerian tertiary institutions, after which the discourse will turn to an analysis of the relevant features of the documentary, and finally highlight the ways in which Sex for Grade spurred social change in Nigeria.
Sexual Harassment in Nigerian Schools
Sexual harassment refers to any form of unwanted or unwelcome sexual behavior ranging from verbal acts such as offensive name-calling and requesting sexual favors (Young et al., 2018) to physical actions such as groping or sexual assault (The World Bank Group, 2018). Allegations of sexual harassment by male professors are so prevalent in Nigerian universities that many female students claim to either have been either sexually abused by their lecturers or to know someone who has experienced it (Sex for Grades, 2019). Aggravating this issue is the fact that many Nigerian universities lack Anti-Sexual Harassment policies that define appropriate relationships between professors and students (Akindele, 2020); the few universities that do fail to implement them (Sex for Grades, 2019). This disregard for regulatory frameworks is partly because prior to the enactment of the 2020 Sexual Harassment Bill in response to #SexforGrades activism, the country did not have national legislation punishing sexual harassment in the university although students considered it one of their biggest stressors (Ladebo, 2003). Another reason that may contribute to the prevalence of sexual harassment in higher institutions is the existing power asymmetry in a romantic relationship between a professor and his student. The University of Lagos (2017) in its Policy on Sexual Harassment acknowledges that the relationship between a lecturer and his student is “ inherently unequal” and Professor of Women’s Studies, Oluyemi Obilade, suggests that this asymmetry effectively silences the female student who fears academic repercussions or victim-shaming if she reports (Sex for Grades, 2020). At the heart of this problem though was the lack of powerful evidence to prove claims made by female students who file a report.
As a result, Sex for Grades was a landmark documentary in the country- because it provided the evidence that had been lacking for so long, corroborating the claims of many victims, and exposing oppressive systems that aid the abuse of students (Vaughn, 2019). The fifty-three minutes documentary exposes two Unilag professors soliciting sexual favors from underage students, who unknown to them, are undercover journalists, and leaks the location of a “cold room” where professors held clandestine meetings with female students (Sex for Grades, 2019). The length of the film and infusion of the victim and expert testimonies resulted in an in-depth exploration of the complex issue of sexual harassment, an accomplishment that may not have been achieved with other forms of traditional or online media. Other characteristics of the documentary such as civic motivation, journalistic integrity, and cinematography also contributed to the impactful way in which Sex for Grades channeled the energy of the Nigerian public towards the eradication of sexual harassment in universities.
Documentaries As A Medium of Activism
Another distinction of the documentary which makes it an effective medium for activism is journalistic integrity which implies high regard for truth and fairness in their depiction of facts (Chattoo, 2020). Grierson’s (1933) definition of a documentary as a “creative representation of actuality” and Chattoo’s (2020) assertion that it combines elements of cinema and journalism means that although the documentary employs elements of the feature film, it also requires a high degree of fact-checking and research to present the truth in the most reliable way. Documentary makers have to conduct research to understand their subject matter, acquire context and tools for their storyline, and also find individuals who would serve best as primary witnesses or expert sources in the film (Burns, 2021). To do this, filmmakers often travel to relevant locations to shoot documentaries, interview direct witnesses, and in the process, uncover new perspectives to the truth. In this way, the documentary fulfills its goal of educating its viewers by presenting true information only. This fact-checking process gives the documentary a reputation of trustworthiness that makes it easy for their audience to believe their representation of facts or portrayal of inequalities as seen in their films. In the Sex for Grades documentary, the Team of journalists conducted their investigations within the University of Lagos, spoke to female victims from the university, and sought statements from relevant persons, giving its viewers a strong sense of integrity and communicating to them that they could trust its perspectives. In this way, the documentary has strong sway over its viewers and is a vital medium for mobilizing the public towards social justice (Stover, 2013).
In addition to its civic motivation and journalistic integrity, an important quality of the documentary that makes it a powerful medium for sparking community activism is the entertainment value it holds (Chattoo, 2020). Filmmakers manipulate filmmaking techniques including editing, audiovisual content, interviews, voice-over, and sound, to grab their audience’s attention. Rather than present a rigid compilation of facts, they weave their findings around a strong storyline and incorporate engaging elements that can be distributed on diverse broadcast platforms and viewed for entertainment. This cinematography does not only keep viewers watching but also guides their attention to the social issues which the filmmaker believes are most important. For instance, Mordi’s narration in the documentary Sex for Grades communicates clearly to her audience that she believes that the wronged party is the female students and that others ought to denounce sexual abuse by professors in colleges. The entertainment derived from documentaries, as well as the encouragement to participate in a cause, thus stirs what Chattoo (2020) describes as “action-oriented public conversation” which often results in positive social change.
Sex for Grades prompts #SexforGrades
The BBC Africa Eye documentary received mixed public reactions across the country. For some, it was shocking to discover the perverse ongoing in the country’s universities, while for others, most of whom were victims of female students in tertiary schools, it was relieving to acquire powerful evidence to vindicate age-long complaints (citation). Victims of sexual abuse in universities also began to share their experiences on social media platforms. For many victims, it was their first time speaking out on their abuse while others found communities of support to heal or process their trauma. The documentary which was released around the same time as nationwide protests against rape culture (Sex for Grades, 2019) also prompted victims of sexual abuse in other contexts to seek support. Stand to End Rape Initiative, a Nigerian advocacy organization reported that year that it had received increased cases of sexual harassment as a result of the documentary (Vaughn, 2019).
The documentary also ignited a local and national dialogue about the injustice of sexual harassment in universities. This was an effect of the role that the documentary plays in providing an intimate glimpse into societal problems and people who are often ostracized (Chattoo, 2020). While in previous years, the response to allegations of sexual harassment would have received name-calling and blaming the victim for her molestation, the conversations that occurred as a result of the documentary challenged the trend of victim-blaming and called for preventive legislative frameworks. For instance, in 2018, a female student, Monica Osagie who had made an audio recording of her professor soliciting sexual favors from her had received massive public condemnation and backlash on social media (Adebayo & Busari, 2018) although the professor was convicted for the offense. However, this time, people acknowledged that they could not ignore the problem anymore (Vaughn, 2019), but instead had to take action to solve it. On television and radio stations, in talk shows and social media spaces with the hashtag SexforGrades, controversial conversations took place that rebuked sexual abuse in schools and denounced cultural norms that prevented students from reporting abuse to parents or adults.
This discourse also led to online activism tagged #SexforGrades which included government officials and other influential individuals calling for social change (Abraham, 2019). As a result of the lobbying and online protesting done, the University of Lagos suspended one of the professors implicated in the documentary (Abraham, 2019), a ripple effect of this was also the dismissal of a lecturer at another university accused of sexually abusing his student (BBC, 2019). Another impactful achievement of the Sex for grades documentary was that it directly influenced the passing of the Tertiary Education Sexual Harassment Bill which had been sitting in the Nigerian senate for three years (Fatunde, 2020). According to the bill, soliciting sexual intercourse with a student or inappropriate sexual favors in exchange for academic or career rewards may be punishable for up to 14 years. It also stipulates the obligations of staff and administrators to investigate every report of sexual harassment on university campuses. (BBC, 2021)
In conclusion, BBC’s Sex for Grades documentary proved to be an effective mode of motivating activism against sexual harassment in tertiary institutions of education. By applying civic motivation, journalistic integrity, and cinematic features to enhance entertainment, the documentary uncovered evidence of sexual abuse in Nigerian universities, helped victims find support and healing, and challenged public stereotypes about abuse. It also inspired purposeful online activism across the country and led to the enactment of the Sexual Harassment Bill. While this documentary scored victories for female students in Nigeria and certainly, every citizen in the country, more needs to be done to eliminate sexual harassment in schools and beyond schools. As cases of sexual violence continue to rise in the country, it is vital that more public discourse be held to reorient the public’s consciousness about respect, human dignity, and other values that in the long run lead to peaceful coexistence.
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