Madonna University, Elele Campus, Rivers State, has expelled a final-year nursing student identified as Mercy and suspended 14 other 500-level students over a viral TikTok video recorded on the institution’s premises.
The video showed a group of nursing students dancing in different locations, including a hospital waiting area, staircase and a bus.
Mercy reportedly appeared in the opening part of the clip, dancing along a hospital corridor. She was said to have received her expulsion letter during the week.
The students were participating in the “Gen Z nurses” social media challenge, a trend involving healthcare workers dancing in clinical environments.
The video carried a Pidgin caption which read, “No fall sick o, na Gen Z full hospital now.”
The clip was reportedly uploaded in August before attracting wider attention after being shared by social media blogs early last month.
By Saturday evening, the TikTok account used to post the video had been made private, while attempts to send direct messages to the account were unsuccessful.
A 15-second version shared by Yabaleftonline on September 1 had recorded more than 1.7 million views on X by Saturday.
The development attracted the attention of medical influencer and TikTok content creator, Nurse Girma, who called for leniency for the affected students.
In a video shared on Friday, Girma said he had received information that the university’s senate had approved disciplinary measures against those involved.
“The information reaching us from last night and this morning is that the owner of the account has been expelled and other students involved have been served suspension,” Girma said.
He explained that the video had generated negative reactions within the healthcare community, with some professionals calling for tighter regulation of students’ conduct.
Girma said he initially believed the students featured in the video were already registered nurses before learning that they were undergraduates. He subsequently deleted some of his earlier comments.
“Yesterday night, unfortunately, the senate of her school handed out an expulsion letter and every other person involved, a suspension letter.
“I know what has happened has happened, but I want to appeal to the school to temper justice with mercy; when it came to me that she is a 500-level student, it really melted my heart,” he said.
READ ALSO:
- I Ended The Relationship After Discovering He Was Married – Actress Irewole Olaniyan Spills
- ECOWAS To Deploy Youth Observers For Nigeria’s 2027 Elections
- Madonna University Expels Nursing Student, Suspends 14 Over Viral TikTok Video
- Abductors Give Oyo Corps Members’ Parents 24 Hours To Pay N1bn Ransom
- ‘Leave My Family Alone’ — Woman Accuses Irewole Olaniyan Of Affair With Husband
The sanctions have divided opinion online, with some users supporting the university’s action and others describing the punishment as excessive.
An X user, Ize (@santaluceya), defended the institution’s decision, arguing that students were expected to protect the university’s reputation.
“They respect and value their name and their image; if you are their student, you can’t post anything controversial or silly online,” Ize wrote.
“The tuition fee for Nursing students in Madonna is around N1.5m to N1.8m per session, and when the video was getting views, Mercy was asked to take it down, but she blatantly refused,” the user added.
TikTok user Sharon (officialsharonbackup) also criticised the students, saying their actions could be interpreted as making light of the healthcare profession.
“These are not 100-level students; they are final-year students about to become registered nurses who made a video that mocked patients,” Sharon wrote.
However, Her Excellency (her_excellency75) urged the university to reconsider the punishment, describing the dancing as a possible way of relieving academic stress.
“I feel that whatever will reduce stress should be adopted; this can be diversionary therapy, but there should be balance in all we do,” she wrote.
Another X user, Nurse Bassey (@nursebassey_), questioned whether expulsion was appropriate after years of training.
“Do you think nursing school is a two-month course? You can condemn the video if you think it was inappropriate, but expulsion after years of school fees, clinicals, exams, and sacrifice?” Bassey queried.
TikTok user Cynthia Mordi suggested alternative disciplinary measures, such as withholding the students’ results for a year or assigning them community service.
The National Executive Council of the Nigerian Universities Nursing Students’ Association also expressed concern over the punishment.
In a statement signed by its National President, Madu Valentine, and Secretary General, Ogwuche Joy, NUNSA said it had begun discussions with relevant authorities in an effort to have the decision reviewed.
“High-level discussions have already commenced with relevant stakeholders, and decisive steps are being taken to formally communicate our concerns to the university’s management,” the statement read.
“Our primary objective is to seek a fair, just, and favourable resolution by adequately representing the interests and welfare of the affected students,” NUNSA added.
The National Association of Nigerian Students also appealed to the university to reconsider the expulsion.
In a statement signed by its President, Akinteye Afeez, the student body warned that the punishment could have serious consequences for the affected students.
“An expulsion at this stage could have a lasting toll on their academics, their future careers, and their mental and emotional well-being.
“Rather than expulsion, we appeal that the students be issued a stern letter of warning,” the student body added.
Madonna University’s Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Chima Achu, told Sunday PUNCH that the institution would make its position known officially.
“The university will officially respond to this issue, and you will get it on Monday,” Achu said.