Chancellor Decries Malicious Allegations Against Arthur Jarvis University

The Chancellor of Cross River-based first private university, Arthur Jarvis University, Sir Arthur Jarvis Archibong has decried the alleged malicious publication against the university by a parent of a student in the institution.

The parent, Dr Lilian Ekanem was accused of publishing “false and malicious information via social media calculated to tarnish the good reputation and defame Arthur Jarvis University.”

Archibong said there was a case of assault in the female hostel of the university involving Dr Ekanem’s daughter who is a 17-year old 100 level student of Mass Communication. 

She was accused of stealing note books and other items belonging to some of the girls who allegedly assaulted her and caused bodily harm.

The Chancellor said while the university was trying to resolve the issue, the student’s mother went on social media to disparage the institution by levelling all sorts of allegations against it.

He alleged that, “In order to paint a grim picture of the alleged assault on the student, Dr. (Mrs) Lilian Ekanem engaged the services of an artist who applied prosthetics make up on the student’s face for special effect and made it look gruesome in order to attract sympathy from members of the public who are ignorant of the true facts of this matter.

“The aforesaid malicious and false publication on the social media and trending and attracted a lot of negative comments from social media participants who now believe that Arthur Jarvis University is a breeding place for gangsterism, cultism and other related activities and whose students are probe to violence, physical attack, assault and bullying of other students.

“In the face of the social media trial, in order to limit and control the damage already suffered by the university, the university published a disclaimer while attempting to reassure the general public of the integrity of the institution.”

Archibong said he had personally made efforts to resolve the matter amicably but the parents of the student rebuffed all, adding that “I urge the various participants in the social media, members of the public and parents/guardians to be skeptical and not to be swayed by this campaign of calumny and negative publicity directed at the university by Dr (Mrs) Lilian Ekanem and her daughters.

“The university has contacted its legal team and given firm instructions to commence legal proceedings against Dr (Mrs) Lilian Ekanem and others for libel.”

Reacting, Dr Ekanem denied all the allegations levelled against her by the university and also vowed to seek redress in court, adding that “No man born of a woman can stop justice from taking its course.”