#SexForGrades: BBC Reporter Cries Out Over Threat To Life

The BBC reporter who carried out an investigation that exposed sexual harassment at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and other universities has revealed that she has been receiving threats since conclusion of the report.

Kiki Mordi carried out the investigation which focused on sexual harassment in tertiary institutions in West Africa. A snippet of the investigation was released by the BBC Africa Eye on Monday.

In the first part of the documentary titled “Sex For Grades”, a Nigerian lecturer at UNILAG, Boniface Igbeneghu, was caught on tape demanding sex from the reporter who posed as a 17-year-old girl seeking admission into UNILAG.

Another lecturer at the University of Ghana, Paul Kwame Butakor, was also caught on tape sexually harassing a girl.

Mordi, who spoke to Sahara Reporters, said the investigation was inspired by her experience at university which forced her to drop out of school.

“I have received subtle threats since this work was completed but I am not bothered because the BBC takes the security of employees seriously,” she said.

“Before embarking on this project, the team prayed a lot and also sang because it helped to calm the nerves. But I had to go through the trainings I received over and over again because I wanted to get it right.

“The bulk of the ritual I performed were reading, research and preparation. The biggest goal of this work was to be louder than the aggressor because sexual harassment is very loud. I wanted it to be silenced.”

Mordi expressed pleasure at the reactions and actions that the investigation had attracted since Monday.

“I am happy that a lot is changing already since the documentary was release and I can confirm to you that one of the lecturers at the University of Lagos caught sexually harassing a prospective student has been dismissed by the institution,” she said.

“I believe it doesn’t stop there until there is a conviction. We have to break that culture of impunity.”

THE WHISTLER had reported on Monday that following the release of the “sex for grades” documentary, both UNILAG and Foursquare Church announced the suspension of Igbeneghu as a lecturer and senior pastor, respectively.