Sodiq Oyeleke
For the second time in 2015, the authorities of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife has shut the institution, describing it as a mid-semester break.
The Public Relations Officer of the university, Mr. Biodun Olarewaju, confirmed this late on Tuesday.
According to him, students of the university are expected to vacate their hostels by 12noon on Wednesday (today).
Similarly in July 2015, the management shut the school during a protest by members of the Non-Academic Staff Union against non-payment of 64 months arrears.
Students of the university alleged that the closure was as a result of the fear that the
planned convocation of the school and coronation of the new Ooni, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, would be disrupted.
Olarewaju said, "The management of the institution has declared a mid-semester break indefinitely. Accordingly, all students, particularly those staying on campus are directed to vacate their halls of residence on or before 12 noon on Wednesday, December 2, 2015. Parents are advised to know and note that the students have been given a mid-semester break."
When asked if the closure was related to the protest by the students on Monday, Olarewaju said, "Part of the reason for the break is because of the festive period that is around. Let us leave that to speculations."
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Students' Uniuon, Mr. Emmanuel Kant, described the closure as a 'game'.
"Next week is convocation and they are scared we may swing into action. You will recall that we recently protested against poor welfare among other things, so the management is in dilemma, they are scared of what we can do," he added.
It would be recalled that students of OAU on Monday protested poor welfare conditions that they are allegedly subjected to.
According to the students, there have been epileptic power and poor water supply, making the OAU campus un-conducive for learning.
Apart from poor welfare, the students also said their action was also necessitated by the termination of the admission of an incoming part-one student of History Department, Olawale Owolabi.
It was learnt that Owolabi, popularly referred to as Ogunruku, had joined the protest against increment of acceptance fee from N2,000 to N20,000 in 2011, when his admission was terminated.
The placard-carrying students were seen shouting 'WAR', as they converged in front of their senate building and later marched to barricade the school gate.
It was learnt that Owolabi, popularly referred to as Ogunruku, had joined the protest against increment of acceptance fee from N2,000 to N20,000 in 2011, when his admission was terminated.
Some of the students also said the protest was a warning to the school management to stop its attempt from increasing accommodation (hostel) fee.
Earlier, the school management in a release signed by its Registrar, Dotun Awoyemi, appealed to the students to desist from any action that may lead to the elongation of the academic calendar or outright cancellation of one academic session.
Source: Punch Newspaper
Written by NEWSTRAWL ONLINE UPDATE
Sodiq Oyeleke is a Media, Human Resources, Project Management and Public Relations Practitioner
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