The Secretary, Academic Staff of Universities (ASUU) and Dean Faculty of the Social Sciences, University of Ibadan, Professor Peter Olapegba has said that Nigeria and Nigerians have been victims of ‘serial rape’ by the political class since independence.
According to him, the consequences of the serial rape has been mindless looting which has created abject poverty, massive unemployment, chronic under-funding of education, insurgency and terrorism.
Professor Olapegba stated this while delivering 447th inaugural lecture titled “That I May Know” at the University of Ibadan
The professor of social psychology noted that the worrisome dimension of the rape of the nation by the political class is the rape of the mind.
The ASUU scribe noted that ‘rape of minds’ of Nigerians by the political class has made the victims of economic rape to be fighting one another defending their oppressors including university professors.
Professor Olapegba blamed Nigerians for voting based on sentiments rather than objective facts which is partly responsible for the state of affairs.
“Nigeria as a country has introduced a new dimension into the rape literature with a sustained and shameless rape of the nation by the political class since independence. The political class has turned itself into a serial rapist taking turns to rape a helpless nation through mindless looting and “fantastic” corruption, the nation is bleeding yet the depraved rapist does not stop. The consequences of this rape are staring us in the face; abject poverty, decayed infrastructure, abysmal underdevelopment, massive unemployment, chronic under funding of education at all levels, insurgency, terrorism, etc. But particularly worrisome is the new dimension of the rape in our polity, the political class not yet done with economic rape of the nation has started raping our minds and they are succeeding in doing this. Those who bear the brunt of the rape have also turned into supporters of the rapist fighting one another in support of their oppressors. This pathetic tendency unfortunately has crept into the academia as seen on ‘UI Acada’ and ‘Politics’ WhatsApp platforms where those that should know are at daggers drawn “Atikulating” corruption and “Buharifying” impunity. How and when did we get to this level?”
