Madonna University has reportedly expelled a final-year nursing student identified as Mercy and suspended 14 other 500-level students after a TikTok video showing them dancing in different locations on the institution’s Elele campus in Rivers State went viral.
The video, which featured the students dancing in a hospital waiting area, a staircase, a hospital corridor and a bus, was reportedly recorded as part of the “Gen Z nurses” social media challenge.
Mercy appeared in the opening seconds of the clip, dancing in a hospital hallway. The video carried a Pidgin English caption that read: “No fall sick o, na Gen Z full hospital now.”
Reports indicated that Mercy received her expulsion letter during the week, while the other students involved were handed suspension letters. The university had yet to issue a formal statement on the disciplinary action as of Saturday evening.
The clip was reportedly uploaded in August before gaining wider attention through social media blogs early the following month. A 15-second version shared by Yabaleftonline on September 1 had attracted more than 1.7 million views on X by Saturday.
The TikTok account used to publish the original video had reportedly been set to private by Saturday evening, while messages sent directly to the account remained undelivered.
The controversy gained further attention after medical influencer and TikTok content creator Nurse Girma, known as @nurse_girma, appealed to the university to reconsider the sanctions.
In a video posted on Friday, Girma said information available to him indicated that the university senate had approved the disciplinary measures.
“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,” he said.
Girma explained that he initially believed the people in the video were registered nurses. He said he later removed some of his earlier comments after learning that they were nursing undergraduates.
He appealed to the institution to consider the circumstances of the affected students, particularly Mercy’s position as a final-year student.
“Yesterday night, unfortunately, the senate of her school handed out an expulsion letter and every other person involved, a suspension letter,” Girma said.
“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 added.
The disciplinary action has divided opinion online, with some users arguing that the students acted irresponsibly by recording and sharing the dance routine in a hospital environment, while others believe expulsion and suspension are excessive penalties.
An X user, Ize, writing as @santaluceya, supported the university’s reported decision, arguing that students were expected to respect their institution’s rules and protect its reputation.
The user also claimed that Mercy had been asked to remove the video after it began attracting attention but refused to do so. That account has not been independently confirmed by the university.
Another TikTok user, Sharon, known as @officialsharonbackup, criticised the students for making the video while preparing to enter the nursing 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, other users questioned whether the punishment was proportionate to the offence.
A TikTok user identified as Her Excellency, @her_excellency75, described dancing as a possible way for students to manage stress, while noting the need for appropriate boundaries.
“I feel that whatever will reduce stress should be adopted; this can be diversionary therapy, but there should be balance in all we do,” the user wrote.
An X user, Nurse Bassey, also criticised the reported expulsion, pointing to the years of academic work and financial investment required to complete a nursing programme.
“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 asked.
TikTok user Cynthia Mordi suggested that the university could consider alternative penalties, including withholding the students’ results for a year or assigning community service.
The Nigerian Universities Nursing Students’ Association (NUNSA) has also expressed concern over the reported sanctions and begun discussions with relevant authorities in a bid to secure a review of the decision.
In a statement signed by its National President, Madu Valentine, and Secretary-General, Ogwuche Joy, the association said it was engaging stakeholders to present its concerns to the university management.
“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,” it added.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has similarly appealed to the university to reconsider the expulsion and suspensions.
In a statement issued by its president, Akinteye Afeez, the student body warned that expulsion at the final stage of a degree programme could have serious consequences for the affected students’ academic progress and future careers.
“An expulsion at this stage could have a lasting toll on their academics, their future careers, and their mental and emotional well-being,” NANS said.
The association urged the university to consider a stern warning or another disciplinary measure instead of expulsion.
Madonna University, established as a private Catholic institution, operates campuses in Elele, Rivers State; Okija, Anambra State; and Akpugo, Enugu State.
When contacted by Sunday PUNCH, the university’s Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Chima Achu, said management would respond to the controversy officially.
“The university will officially respond to this issue, and you will get it on Monday,” Achu said.
The university’s explanation for the sanctions, as well as the possibility of a review, remained pending at the time of the report.
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