Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, United States, has begun reviewing recent social media posts attributed to Nigerian-born academic, Dr Uju Anya, describing them as “hostile and threatening” amid growing backlash online.
The university said Anya is currently on voluntary professional leave and will not teach courses on its campus during the 2026 academic year.
In a statement posted on X on Saturday, Carnegie Mellon said it was “deeply concerned” by the recent posts and was reviewing the matter closely. The institution subsequently clarified that the posts should not be interpreted as reflecting the university’s position.
“To be clear: These posts incorrectly imply our university’s endorsement and are contrary to our community standards and values as well as our commitment to fostering a safe, respectful and welcoming campus community,” the university said.
The controversy intensified after screenshots of posts attributed to Anya circulated widely online. One of the posts allegedly showed her responding to an X user with the words, “Die first, white man, then ask yourself why I’m dancing.”
The authenticity of the widely circulated screenshot could not be independently verified by some reports, while the university did not specify which particular posts were included in its review.
Anya’s X account also became inaccessible following the backlash, although it was not immediately clear whether she deactivated the account herself or whether it became unavailable for another reason.
The latest controversy is not the first time Anya’s social media activity has attracted widespread attention. In 2022, she faced criticism after making inflammatory comments about the death of former British monarch Queen Elizabeth II.
Carnegie Mellon has not announced that Anya has been suspended or dismissed over the latest controversy. The university said only that she is on voluntary professional leave and that the matter is under review.
Anya is an associate professor of second-language acquisition at Carnegie Mellon University’s Department of Modern Languages. As of the latest reports, she had not publicly responded to the university’s statement or the backlash surrounding the posts.
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