Crisis looms in OAU over NUGA
February 4, 2014 by Sodiq Oyeleke
| credits: File copy
A
crisis is in the offing at the Obafemi Awolowo Unversity, Ile-Ife, Osun
State. At the centre of the looming crisis is the planned Nigeria
Universities Games.
The event scheduled to hold at the
institution between February 12 and 22 has witnessed two postponements
due to inadequate facilities, improper logistics and the five-month
strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, among other factors .
Our correspondent, however, gathered on
Monday that the bone of contention is the provision of accommodation
for the participants in the competition.
The OAU management, it was gathered, has
reportedly directed students to vacate their hostels on or before
February 7 to enable the NUGA participants to use the facility.
But the directive appears not to have gone down well with the students who have condemned the decision.
Some of the students, who spoke to our correspondent, said the directive would disrupt the peace of the university.
A student, who simply gave his name as
Aiyekooto, said, “In the first instance, NUGA is meant for university
students, not for only athletes or university management. So, where is
the sense in alienating the host students who are expected to add
glamour to this event?”
Also, students, who reside in the Angola
Hall of the university, swore not to vacate the hostel because of the
games. They said their tenancy in the hostel would end after their
second semester examinations between April and May.
Part of their communiqué after the
meeting read, “The gathering condemned in strong terms the plan by the
school management to force students out of the halls of residence.
Students paid for a session-long accommodation. So, it is irrational for
a landlord to temporarily evacuate his tenants because he is expecting
some guests.
“The University of Ilorin and Federal
University of Technology hosted the West Afica University Games and NUGA
at different times, without sending their students away. The university
authorities made alternative arrangement for the visiting athletes who
came from across West Africa. Why must OAU be different?
“The militarisation of the campus is
greeted with rebuke from the students. Records have it that we have been
responsible. Even during the struggle (for restoration of student
union), unlike other institutions, we did not burn buildings or harass
others. So there is no reason for the management to militarise our
campus. This is unconstitutional and unacceptable.”
Also, a group, known as the Education
Right Campaign, in a letter to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Bamitale
Omole, and other top management officials, has called for caution on the
issue.
The ERC said, “We condemn the idea that
students will be forced out of residential halls during NUGA. For us,
NUGA is a sporting event meant for students. But the preparation of the
university to turn host students out during this game is portraying an
opposing point of view.
“We also wish to call your attention to
the risks involved in unprepared travels, especially if the deadly state
of our roads is considered. The ERC opines that the decision to force
students out of residential halls was considered out of the interest of
the students and undemocratically reached.”
When contacted, the Chief Security
Officer of the university, Mr. Paul Ogidi, said the management was not
planning to ‘militarise’ the institution.
He said, “We have been meeting all
stakeholders as we are expecting over 7, 000 athletes. As you know, it
will attract national attention. It will also attract national security
apparatuses, including the riot policemen, members of the Nigeria
Security and Civil Defence Corps, Man ‘O War, Red Cross and students’
volunteers.
“We are going to have a large turn-out
of participants and you know that the country is faced with insurgencies
from militant groups. We cannot afford to allow any security breach.
Terrorist groups may want to use the opportunity to strike because a
large number of people will gather here for the sporting event.”
Meanwhile, the university authority has said the games will still hold in the institution as scheduled.
According to its Public Relations
Officer, Mr. Abiodun Olarewaju, so far an Olympic-sized swimming pool,
eight-lane modern tartan track, sports halls, drainage systems, among
other facilities, are ready for the event.
He said, “When we decided to build a new
track for the school, we looked beyond the NUGA because we want
something that would serve the school and the country long after the
games. We are happy that we have this swimming pool and the modern
tracks, which those who know have confirmed as the best you can get
anywhere in the world.”
http://www.punchng.com/education/crisis-looms-in-oau-over-nuga/
Written by NEWSTRAWL ONLINE UPDATE
Sodiq Oyeleke is a Media, Human Resources, Project Management and Public Relations Practitioner
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