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We sometimes laughed over the ‘gestation period’ of the growing object in his stomach. Prof Olanikun, kind of looked like a rolling stone from a distance;  Very short and chubby, with a large head, to complete his stomach structure.

You can’t call him attractive, mba! I can’t recall any student that was not afraid of him. At times he would come to the lecture hall with the offering envelope of his church harvest and tell you it is not compulsory but it'd be just lovely if 'you could give for God’s work,' and then, to those who chose to 'willingly' give to the church, he would say;“write your matric number at the back with a pencil “. Imagine that! So much for giving willingly.

He was not our mate at all. I mean I will not be shocked if I heard he was a grandpa way back then. If Prof likes you, he must have you, or you should think of writing JAMB again. I always tried to avoid him because those types of lecturers should not even remember that you are a student.

I wanted to change my course and so I had a form that Olanikun needed to sign on. I was so nervous. How do the secretaries of randy men like this keep straight faces, when they know what is going on behind closed doors? Anyway she came out of the office and told me that I could “go in.“

I cannot forget the look on her face… such a mean way to smile!

I explained to him what I needed him to do and after he signed the form and dropped the pen on the table, he made an attempt to grab me as he said, “Since you are no longer my student…  You see, I knew he will try, so I was ready. I quickly grabbed both hands and knelt down.

“Hian!”

The Omoluabi in me experienced an uprising. I began to thank him for being such a father to me, for his counsel and kind advises at all times (imagine! the buffoon fell for it). Phew such luck…  I quietly picked the form and bolted out before he could compose himself. I had his signature, so I knew there would be no need for further contact.

My course mate, Anne, was not so lucky. Very quiet and intelligent girl. She was a regular at his office. He always sent for her. She was so scared that she never told anyone, family or friends, and it went on year in year out. What went on in that office is left to our imaginations.

It is because of people like Anne that all hands have to be on deck to fight this concept of bullying that is practiced by lecturers on students, whose sole aim, most times, is to just graduate in peace and get a good job for a living.

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