UNIABUJA Lecturer, Mohammed Umar, Campaigns Against Student Intimidation

Mohammed Umar, a lecturer at the University of Abuja says he’s on a mission to kill the culture of intimidation in Nigerian lecture halls — one open door and cold drink at a time.  

“Since I joined the lecturing profession as a College Lecturer, I made a silent promise to myself: my students will not suffer some of the unnecessary stress and intimidation that many of us passed through in school,” he said.  

He recalled his own student days with bitterness: “I know what it feels like to fear a lecturer’s office more than an exam hall. I know what it means to carry a problem for weeks simply because a lecturer made himself unreachable like a government secret file. I experienced it, and I vowed never to become that kind of lecturer.”  

For him, accessibility is policy. “My office is always open. No unnecessary protocol. No ‘come back next week.’ No forming busy for busy’s sake. If a student walks into my office with a genuine issue and with respect, the door is open.”  

The issues students bring go beyond academics. “Some come with academic problems. Some come confused about life. Some are battling finances, project stress, family pressure, or simply looking for someone who will listen without shouting at them.”  

And his first move? Simple humanity. “And honestly, sometimes the first solution starts with offering them water or malt — whichever is available. You’ll be surprised how a cold drink and a listening ear can calm an overwhelmed student.”  

He says his role is bigger than scripts and scores. “I listen attentively. I advise where I can. I encourage them when they are losing hope. I correct them when necessary. Because beyond teaching courses and marking scripts, I believe lecturing is also about humanity.”  

He rejects fear as a teaching tool. “Many lecturers want students to fear them before respecting them. I prefer the opposite. Respect earned through accessibility, fairness, and compassion lasts longer than fear.”  

For the UniAbuja lecturer, legacy beats titles. “At the end of the day, titles come and go. Offices change. But somewhere, years from now, I want my students to say: ‘That lecturer treated us like human beings.’ And for me, that is one of the greatest achievements in this profession.”