University of Calabar bans 'water ritual' practice

The University of Calabar has ordered the cessation of the practice of 'water ritual' in the school, describing it as unwholesome and not academic.

What this Water ritual is all about: In the “water ritual’’, students pour water sporadically on matriculating and graduating students as an “initiation rite’’.

The university's statement: The varsity’s Registrar, Mr Gabriel Egbe, stated in Calabar on Friday, December 09, 2022, that the vice-chancellor, Prof. Florence Obi, ordered the cessation of the practice, which she said was no longer acceptable and constituted rights abuses.

“The vice-chancellor has directed that the practice be discontinued against the backdrop of a viral video in which a female student was subjected to indignity at the last matriculation.

“In the video clip, a group of young men indulged in inhumane and barbaric action.

“Besides the official discontinuance of the unacceptable act, a committee has been set put to investigate the ugly act meted on the female student and those found culpable will be sanctioned appropriately.

“The Acting Chief Security Officer, retired Capt. Austin Bisong, and other relevant officers in the university have been tasked to ensure that the ugly episode never occurs again,’’ Egbe stated. (NAN)

Meanwhile: The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Calabar branch, have staged a peaceful protest to demand the payment of their eight months’ salary arrears from the Federal Government.

Chairman of the union in UNICAL, Dr John Edor, who led other members on the protest on Wednesday in Calabar, said members of the union were owed eight months’ salary arrears, from March to October.

Edor said that in the month of October, members of the union were paid for 18 days, describing the payment as “daily payment” for workers.

He said that ASUU was insisting on the revitalization of universities and that the welfare of university staff should be improved.