Inciting comment: Nigerian professor faces UEW disciplinary Committee

Visiting Nigerian lecturer Professor Austin Nwagbara has been summoned before a six-member investigative committee chaired by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Education Winneba for inciting Nigerian community in Ghana following the arrest of some Nigerians for kidnapping.

The committee is investigating a viral video in which Professor Nwagbara is heard allegedly inciting the Nigerian community to take up strategies to destroy Ghana’s image as retaliation for the harassment suffered by Nigerians.

The visiting professor is already being investigated by the Police CID on charges of incitement and breach of peace. He was granted bail after being questioned by the CID on Tuesday.

Speaking on the Morning Starr, PRO for the University of Education Winneba Ernest Azutiga said Professor Nwagbara risks facing sanctions including a possible dismissal if found guilty by the committee.

“Some of his comments on Ghanaian education and our institution was not in good taste at all and so he will have to make some clarity when he meets the committee,” Mr Azutiga told Morning Starr Host Francis Abban on Wednesday.

He said the investigative committee made of four professors and the registrar of the school will be chaired by the Vice Chancellor of the University.

Touching on professor Nwagbara’s case with the CID, Mr Azutiga said: “Whatever support we’re to give to the Professor as an employee to ensure there are fairness and justice will be done. However, we won’t prevent the law from taking its cause if need be.”

What did Professor Nwagbara say?

Professor Nwagbara was arrested Tuesday and cautioned on “offence of Offensive Conduct Conducive to the breach of peace,” a police statement said.

He has “been admitted to bail”, head of public affairs at the CID headquarters DSP Juliana Obeng said.

In the video, he was seen meeting with some Nigerians in Ghana and implored them to use the Nigerian media to destroy Ghana in the eyes of the international community through negative reportage.

According to the professor, Nigeria already has a bad image mainly because of how they have been branded by others, especially by Ghana, so it is time to reciprocate that by coming up with innovative ideas and strategies.

“They have harassed us a lot, I know that… What I’m saying is we need strategies. I’ll suggest something which the embassy can think about; I know they know which they can do immediately at the Nigerians community. There is a bad image for Nigeria; we can take it back through the press. We can reverse it.

“We have powerful Nigerian media stations, channels broadcast all over the world, there’s active online social media, the plot in Nigeria. Let them come here and run documentaries of the experiences of Nigerians and blast it all over the world. In three days Ghana would respond,” he said in the video.