In England a black medical student is taking legal action against her university for fostering an environment of racism. Twenty seven year-old Virginia Jibowu, a student at King’s College medical school in London, has alleged that the school failed to prevent a “hostile and humiliating” environment which subsequently ruined her career as a doctor.
Ms. Jibowu, who is of Nigeria descent, has indicated that she has been harassed by white students attending the university. She also said that she had been bullied and that one white female student suggested that a killer disease should be introduced into Africa to kill off all the Africans so the whites could move in and settle there. Moreover, she has reported having been bullied by her male clinical partner and even physically injured by another student. Ms. Jibowu said students told her that she should “grin and bear” what she was experiencing.
So bad was the harassment she states that it caused her to fail her examinations. Reportedly, Ms. Jibow was forced to enroll in the university’s six-year extended medical degree course for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The University has looked down on the students allegations and has not accepted or acknowledged that it was at fault for allowing an institutionally racist studying environment and say she failed because she was not qualified enough.
Ms. Jibowu is seeking damages worth £5.5 million. –dr. torance stephens
