The Principal-General of Government Technical College, Abak, Akwa Ibom State, Mr Friday Udoka, has apologized for flogging a serving female corps member in the school, Miss Olaitan Adeola Kolawole.

Udoaka, at the NYSC state office yesterday in Uyo, said he did not deliberately flog the corps member, noting that he used the cane on her out of anger.

Miss Kolawole was said to have written the name of her friend, Dolapo Victoria in the attendance register of the school on Friday, October 19, 2018 when Dolapo was absent.

The principal who has just three years to retire from service was said to have flogged Kolawole for the “misdeamour” and dragged her outside the classroom in front of the students; the allegation he denied.

“No man is perfect; I have not beaten a corps member before. I am very sorry for using a cane on a corper. Adeola, I am very sorry for what happened.

“When I went back home, I felt bad for beating a woman. It is not true that I dragged the corper out of my office and flogged her before the students. This is a man that behaves like a father, but I don’t know what happened that I behaved rudely with you. Please forgive me.

“The mistake will not repeat itself. Whatever is the cost of your treatment, I will bear the cost,” he said.

Responding, Miss Kolawole said she had no justification not to accept the apology of an elder saying, “For an elder to apologize for his mistake, I forgive him. I accept his apology. My parents wanted to take up the matter, but I will talk to them not to pursue the case as they wanted”.

The Commissioner for Education, Victor Inoka, who was also at the ‘reconciliation meeting’, made a personal donation of N50,000 to Miss Kolawole for her treatment.

NYSC Coordinator Mr Amusu Julius said he was writing his report on the incident to brief the corps directorate, but had to stop because the Commissioner for Education asked that reconciliation be arranged between the parties involved.

•Text (excluding headline) sourced from Daily Trust report