Tension has erupted at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, on Thursday after the school authorities enforced a recent ban on the popular “signing off” tradition among graduating students.
In a viral video shared on Facebook by Okwa C. Ifugo, two unidentified female students were escorted out of a campus building for wearing shirts scribbled with marker inscriptions — a hallmark of the post-examination ritual.
Earlier in the week, the university’s management had formally prohibited the activity. In a circular signed by the Registrar, Dr. Chinenye Okeke, the practice was described as disruptive, often escalating into chaos, violence, and interference with academic activities.
The directive warned that strict measures would be taken against any student who defied the order. Thursday’s enforcement marked the first public incident since the ban was announced.
The “signing off” tradition, common across many Nigerian universities, typically involves final-year students writing farewell messages on one another’s shirts to celebrate the completion of their studies. However, administrators at UNIZIK maintain that the ritual has increasingly created security and discipline concerns on campus.
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