Versity Expels Final-Year Nursing Student, Suspends 14 Others Over Viral TikTok Video

Madonna University, Elele Campus, Rivers State, has reportedly expelled a final-year nursing student and suspended 14 other 500-level students following a viral TikTok video showing nursing students dancing on campus and in areas around a hospital setting.

The expelled student, identified as Mercy, reportedly appeared at the beginning of the video dancing in a hospital hallway. The video was part of a social media trend known as the “Gen Z Nurses” challenge.

The clip, which was reportedly uploaded in August, later went viral on social media, attracting millions of views. It featured the students dancing in a hospital waiting area, staircase and bus, alongside a Pidgin caption.

According to reports, the university’s Senate subsequently imposed disciplinary measures on the students, with Mercy receiving an expulsion letter and 14 other students receiving suspension letters.
The development has generated mixed reactions online. While some social media users supported the university’s decision, arguing that the students violated institutional standards and professional expectations, others described the punishment as excessive and called for leniency.

A medical influencer and content creator, Nurse Girma, also appealed to the university to reconsider the expulsion, particularly because the affected student was reportedly in her final year.
Meanwhile, the National Executive Council of the Nigerian Universities Nursing Students’ Association (NUNSA) has expressed concern over the sanctions and said it had begun discussions with relevant authorities to seek a review of the decision.

The matter has continued to generate reactions from students, healthcare professionals and members of the public, with calls for a fair resolution for the affected students.