A Nigerian lady currently studying in Germany has captured widespread attention online after recounting an extraordinary encounter with a female professor who went out of her way to personally help her locate her classroom. The experience, shared on TikTok by user big sosap, has sparked conversations on cultural differences in education and left many Nigerians reflecting on their own academic systems.
According to the viral video, the student had gotten lost while trying to find one of her new classrooms in her university building. Despite encountering several fellow students who couldn’t provide clear directions, she was eventually advised to approach a professor for assistance. The suggestion itself surprised her, as in her experience in Nigerian universities, approaching a professor directly for help is often intimidating and considered unusual.
“I said, Ask professor? I couldn’t believe it. Because in Nigeria, you don’t just walk up to a professor like that,” she explained. “You’ll think twice before even knocking on their door.”
To her astonishment, the professor she approached didn’t just give verbal directions. The professor, named Petra, left her own students and accompanied the Nigerian student throughout the building, personally guiding her until they reached the correct classroom. The act of walking alongside her through the campus left the student in awe and challenged her perception of academic hierarchies.
“This woman left her students and followed me around. I was like, so you people are human beings too? Nigerian professors and doctors, you people are not God o!” she exclaimed in the video. “It completely changed how I see lecturers and the entire system.”
The Nigerian student also revealed that the professor encouraged her own students to address her by her first name, Petra, rather than using titles such as Doctor or Professor. This gesture of humility and accessibility highlighted the contrast between educational cultures and emphasized a more human-centered approach to teaching.
“I need to correct a lot of mentality I carried from Nigeria,” she said. “I need to start seeing people as human beings, not gods.”
Her story has resonated widely online, sparking discussions among Nigerians and international audiences alike about the importance of approachable educators and dismantling hierarchical barriers in schools. Many viewers shared similar experiences and called for reforms in Nigerian institutions to foster a more supportive and humane academic environment.
The TikTok video quickly went viral, gaining thousands of likes, comments, and shares, with users expressing surprise, admiration, and hope for a more empathetic academic culture worldwide.
Watch the video below…
@big_sosap Nigerian university really messed up my mentality. I used to see professors as demigods 😭 #LifeInGermany #NigerianInGermany #CultureShock #StudyAbroad ♬ original sound – SoSa💎🇳🇬🇩🇪