EZZY COLLEGE OF NURSING ENUGU UNJUSTLY EXPELS STUDENT

WE DEMAND THE IMMEDIATE AND UNCONDITIONAL REINSTATEMENT OF IFEOMA NWAOGARANYA

The Youth Rights Campaign (YRC) strongly condemns the brazen authoritarianism, repression, and undemocratic atmosphere that currently define the administration of Ezzy International College of Nursing Science, Akpuoga Nike, Enugu State, under the leadership of Mrs. Ifeyinwa Okwudo.

The recent unlawful expulsion of student nurse Nwaogaranya Ifeoma Rosemary is a shocking display of impunity and abuse of power. Her only “offence” was expressing a principled opinion in a closed WhatsApp group in defense of another student healthcare assistant of the institution, Joy Ezeugwu, who had earlier exposed the deplorable and life-threatening conditions at Uwani General Hospital.

In other words, this incident is not isolated. It is directly linked to the earlier victimisation of Joy Ezeugwu, who was indefinitely suspended for courageously speaking out against the collapse of public healthcare infrastructure. So, what we are witnessing is a pattern, an orchestrated clampdown on dissent, critical thinking, and advocacy within an institution that is supposed to train healthcare professionals guided by ethics, compassion, and the principle of beneficence.

The expulsion of Ifeoma Rosemary was carried out in complete violation of due process. She was neither issued a query nor invited before any disciplinary panel. She was denied the right to fair hearing, and no rule was cited to justify the action taken against her. Instead, she was subjected to intimidation, silenced, and forcefully ejected from the school premises alongside her husband, who had come to intervene, in a humiliating and degrading manner.

Even more disturbing is the reported statement by the School Administrator that the institution “does not train politicians,” a remark that exposes a dangerous hostility to independent thought and social consciousness. Nursing, by its very nature, is rooted in advocacy for patients and public health. To punish students for defending these values is to undermine the very foundation of the profession.

This is nothing short of administrative tyranny.

YRC asserts that educational instit utions must not be run as slave camps.  Schools should be centres of learning, critical thinking and inquiry, and democratic engagement—not zones of fear and repression.

We therefore call on the Enugu State Government, under the leadership of Mr. Peter Mbah, human rights groups and people of good conscience to urgently intervene in the affairs of Ezzy College.  A sane society must not keep silent while students are victimised, intimidated, and unlawfully expelled especially for merely expressing a legitimate opinion.

WE DEMAND:

1. Immediate and unconditional reinstatement of Nwaogaranya Ifeoma Rosemary to continue her academic program and sit for her examinations.
2. Immediate reversal of all punitive measures taken against students for expressing lawful opinions.
3. A public apology from the school administration to Ifeoma Rosemary and other affected students.
4. An independent and thorough investigation into the activities and administrative practices of Ezzy College of Nursing Science.
5. Institution of clear, transparent, and democratic disciplinary procedures that guarantee fair hearing and protect students’ rights.
6. An end to all forms of intimidation, harassment, and repression within the institution.
7. Protection of students’ rights to freedom of expression and association within academic environments.
8. Oversight by relevant regulatory and government bodies to ensure compliance with educational standards and human rights principles.

This development once again exposes the broader reality of a system that fears dissent and punishes courage. From the suspension of Joy Ezeugwu to the expulsion of Ifeoma Rosemary, we see a consistent attempt to silence voices that challenge injustice and demand accountability.

YRC calls on students, youth, and working people to resist  creeping authoritarianism in many education institutions, both public and private. The struggle for democratic rights within our schools is inseparable from the broader struggle for a just and humane society.

An injury to one is an injury to all.

Michael Adaramoye Lenin

National Coordinator

Francis Nwapa

National Secretary

YRC email: [email protected]