VIDEO: ‘Let us have second chance’, expelled Madonna University nursing student begs in tears

A 500-level nursing student expelled by Madonna University , Rivers State, has pleaded with the institution to reconsider the punishment handed to her and other students over a viral video filmed inside its teaching hospital.

In a tearful video, the student appealed to the university to give the affected students another opportunity, saying she was struggling to come to terms with how she would tell her mother that years of nursing education had been brought to an end.

“How do I explain to my mother? I’m one of the dozen students that was expelled. After all these years, how do I explain to my mother?” she said.

In a caption accompanying the video, the student appealed directly for clemency, saying the affected students had endured years of sacrifices in pursuit of their nursing careers.

“I’m one of the students affected and this pain is beyond words. Years of sacrifices, sleepless nights and dreams shouldn’t end like this. Please let us have a second chance.”

Her appeal comes as the National Association of Nigerian Students, (NANS), the National Union of Nigerian Students’ Association, (NUNSA), and other stakeholders mount pressure on Madonna University to reconsider the expulsions.

NANS President, Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, acknowledged that the students’ conduct was inappropriate and inconsistent with the standards expected of nursing students, but said expulsion was too severe a consequence.

“Expulsion is, by far, a grave punishment. Beyond the immediate academic consequences, it can fundamentally alter the course of a young person’s life,” Afeez said.

NANS has consequently asked the university to replace the expulsions with a stern warning, arguing that the students had already invested years, resources and hopes in pursuing careers in nursing.

The association said, “We appeal to the compassion and clemency of the Management of Madonna University to please save their future and give them a second chance.”

The controversy stems from a social media video featuring nursing students dancing within different sections of Madonna University’s teaching hospital.

The footage, associated with the “Gen Z nurses” trend, showed the students dancing in locations including a waiting area, staircase and bus. It was captioned, “No fall sick o, na Gen Z full hospital now,” before being uploaded in August.

The video attracted significantly wider attention after social media blogs circulated it. A 15-second version posted on X on September 1 reportedly surpassed 1.7 million views, while the original TikTok account was later made private.

Madonna University confirmed that the footage was recorded within its teaching hospital and subsequently took disciplinary action against the students involved.