What began as a routine disciplinary response to late arrival has now turned into a storm of emotion, public anger, and institutional reckoning at Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, after a viral video showed a lecturer flogging IJMB candidates within the school premises.
In the footage, which spread rapidly across social media on Monday, several candidates were seen kneeling with their hands raised while the lecturer administered strokes of the cane on their palms.
The scene, which many described as humiliating, immediately triggered backlash from Nigerians who questioned why corporal punishment was still being used in a tertiary institution.
The video was not just about discipline, it raised deeper concerns about dignity, student welfare, and the boundaries of authority in learning spaces.
Reacting to the incident, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) condemned the act, saying no student deserves to be subjected to physical punishment, regardless of the offence. The association called for stronger accountability in how discipline is enforced across higher institutions.
At Kwara State Polytechnic, management moved quickly to distance itself from the method used in the video. In a statement, the institution explained that the individuals involved were IJMB candidates who had arrived late for their examination, not regular polytechnic students.
While the school maintained that the reason behind the lecturer’s reaction was still under investigation, it was firm in its condemnation of the action.
“The Polytechnic stands firmly against any form of violence or physical punishment as a means of discipline,” the statement said, adding that education must be rooted in respect and proper guidance rather than fear.
The management confirmed that the lecturer involved has been suspended, pending the outcome of a full investigation into the incident.
Beyond the disciplinary action, the incident has reopened a wider conversation about how far educators should go in correcting students and whether outdated disciplinary methods still have a place in modern higher education.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.