UI Backs Prof Filmed Manhandling Lady Skater + Video

The management of the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, has defended Professor J.A.O. Woods, who was seen grappling a lady on campus in a video on Monday.

According to a statement released on Wednesday by Olubunmi O. Faluyi, the university’s registrar and secretary to council, skating on major roads on the campus is illegal.

In the viral video, Woods held on to the lady’s jacket as he insisted that she hand her skateboard over to him and follow him to a security post. Woods had maintained that it was forbidden to use a skateboard on a major road on campus.

“The attention of the University Management has been drawn to a video trending on the Internet,” read the statement.

“The fact of the situation was that Professor J.A.O. Woods, a distinguished professor of Chemistry and the immediate past Focal Officer of SERVICOM on the campus, saw the lady and another male skating along Oduduwa Road, the busiest Road on campus. It is important to state that skating on major roads on campus is illegal, in the same vein that learner drivers are prohibited.

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“Professor Woods stopped the skaters and requested that they should be taken to the Campus Security office. At no time did he rough-handle [sic] the lady. Posting the video on social media was a pure act of mischief.”

FIJ obtained the video of the incident and found that Woods did manhandle the lady.

In the video, Woods can be seen grabbing the lady by her jacket and refusing to let her go.

“Don’t let me manhandle you,” Woods told the lady.

Woods said that he was trying to protect the lives of the skaters and other road users.

“Management condemns the way the story is being posted on social media and unkind comments made,” the university stated.

The person who shared the original tweet was forced to delete his tweet along with the video after warnings of consequences from the university.

As some Twitter users criticised Woods’ aggression, others warned students to stay quiet or risk sanctions from the university’s management.