UNICAL suspends 4 students over ‘water ritual’ initiation

Florence Obi, the vice-chancellor of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), has approved the suspension of four students who engaged in “water ritual” initiation.

According to NAN, Gabriel Egbe, the varsity’s registrar, announced their suspension in a statement on Saturday.

“Water ritual” is a practice that involves students pouring water sporadically on matriculating and graduating students as a supposed “initiation rite” in celebration.

On such occasions, unsuspecting individuals graduating or matriculating could be cornered off and drenched.

UNICAL recently banned the practice, describing it as unwholesome and unacademic.

Despite the ban, a video of some students of the institution carrying out the practice on a female colleague surfaced online recently.

Speaking on the development, Egbe said the “unlawful act” was carried out by the four students during the last matriculation ceremony of the institution on December 2, 2022.

The registrar added that those suspended include Stephen Usen, a 400-level student of the accounting department, and Aniefiok Idorenyin, a 200-level student of computer science.

Others are Miracle Adeyemi, a 200-level student of political science, and Blessing Queen, a 400-level student of genetics and biotech.

“Management deliberated extensively on the report of the committee on Gender-Based Violence and the strength of its findings and has accordingly directed the affected students to proceed on suspension with effect from the 2020/2021 academic session,” the statement reads.

“Deans, heads of departments and other relevant officers of the university have been tasked with the duty of full compliance with the given directive.”