A few may not have heard the name Kiki Mordi until recently when a video of a University of Lagos lecturer in a sexual mood with a female student went viral. Trust social media, the video, posted by BBC Africa, soon started trending with #sexforgrades setting Twitter ablaze. Behind the plot to uncover the University of Lagos and University of Ghana lecturers is the face Kiki Mordi.
Meet Kiki Mordi
Google search engine must have had Kiki Mordi as one of the most searched Nigerians in the recent week after her fresh documentary dubbed ‘Sex For-Grades’ was released on the 7th of October 2019. She is a Nigerian journalist born in Port Harcourt, Rivers state. She was born on the 12th of August 1991. Kiki is BBC’s Africa Eye Reporter as well as a radio presenter for both BBC World service and women radio (WFM) 91.7 FM where she’s concerned with the issues of rape and women’s rights.
Apart from being a journalist, Kiki is also a storyteller and filmmaker. The 28-year old lady is a lover of art, cats and guess what? She’s a foodie. She dropped out of medical school from the prestigious University of Nigeria Nsukka due to sexual harassment from a lecturer. She is currently based in the United Kingdom.
Kiki Mordi’s latest documentary which addressed one of the depressing issues in our education sector has made her a heroine. The issue of sex for grade which she uncovered by using two lecturers as scapegoats – one from the University of Lagos and another from the University of Ghana, has been one of the problems our education is facing.
Cases of lecturers demanding sex in exchange for grades in their courses have been rampant in our universities for decades but no one dared to address it like this. There are few cases where victims raised their voices on this issue but it has not been as effective as the one raised by Kiki with the help of BBC Africa.
According to her, she was inspired to fight for this course after she had to quit medicine by dropping out of school due to sexual harassment by a lecturer. She decided to give respite to vulnerable students who are sexually being abused by lecturers in West African universities. This led to extensive research and undercover investigation, to which Dr. Boniface Igbeneghu, a lecturer in the University of Lagos and a pastor in Foursquare Gospel Church, was relieved of his duties, both in the university and the church of God.
Kiki Mordi has since said that more lecturers involved in this act in West African universities will be exposed. The face behind the BBC’s sex for grade expose has received subtle threats to her life but she remained unmoved because she’s rest assured that BBC got her covered.
The internet hasn’t had it cold since the revelation by Kiki Mordi. #SexForGrades trends and trust Nigerians, sex for job, sex for roles and so on has joined the list. Nigerian celebrities and public figures have also joined their voices on this cogent issue in our society while also hailing the journalist for a job well done.
Here are excerpts on #SexForGrades by Nigerians on Twitter:
We owe a debt of gratitude to the @BBCAfrica journalists whose efforts have exposed this scourge. Their efforts are a reminder of what can be achieved when good people say ‘enough is enough’ and act to make it so. #SexForGrades
House of Reps Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila @femigbajabiamila
Much respect to @Kikimordi for this bravery. These conversations need to be heard. The animals need to understand there is no hiding place. Even if the system doesn’t fight for us, your shame will fight against you.
Nigerian songstress, Simi @Symplysimi
God bless Kiki Mordi for this #sexforgrades thing. Been wondering when someone was going to address it.
Nigerian Afro-pop singer, Adekunle Gold @adekunleGold
I have just read the story on #SexForGrades across public tertiary institutions in many West African countries. This is unacceptable, and requires systemic strategies to put a deterrence to such behavior.
Former Nigerian Vice President, Atiku Abuakar @atiku
Any lecturer exposed in the #SexForGrades documentary should be sacked, arrested, and jailed.
Nairabet boss, Oloye Akin Alabi @akinalabi
The Nigerian Senate, through the deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, in the light of the event, has sponsored the Sexual Harassment Bill, 2019. The bold step taken by Kiki Mordi is definitely yielding good results as many names of lecturers involved in this insane act has been disclosed. It has been shown that her integrity and diligence in this matter has come to liberate many others from their shackles.
Big kudos to Kiki Mordi and BBC Africa for shining light on this issue that has been on for years without a solution. I believe this time around, things will change for the better.
Please leave your contributions in the comments section below.
View Comments
This is great!