OAU suspends student union leaders

Authorities of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, have suspended three student union leaders for allegedly assaulting a professor.

Those suspended are the SU President, Omotayo Akande — who bagged six semesters (three years); Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojedokun — four semesters (two years); and the Secretary General, Seun Oketooto — four semesters (two years).

The trio are all final year students and they would have started their examinations in the next two months.

Students of the university, however, argued that the suspension of their leaders have to do with their recent agitation for better welfare conditions on campus.

Many OAU students had late last year protested against the poor state of infrastructure on campus. The action, it was gathered, prompted the authorities to forcibly shut the institution for one month as well as suspended student union activities.

Besides, our correspondent gathered that some student hall leaders are currently facing a panel of enquiry for their roles in the protest.

Akande confirmed his suspension in a statement to our correspondent.

Akande, who is a 500-level Chemical Engineering student said, "We will like to note that the union is currently examining the situation and will try to adopt the best approach to handle the victimisation and achieve not only our reinstatement but also ensure that the cause for a better welfare condition is achieved in the university."

He claimed that none of the suspended students had any record of impoliteness, adding that the protest was embarked upon after diplomacy failed.

Meanwhile, the Alliance of Nigerian Students Against Neo-Liberal Attacks has faulted the suspension of the students.

The group described the action as not only escapist but also undemocratic.

It added, "We wish to state that we strongly condemn the victimisation of student activists by the authorities under any guise; and we advise the OAU management to desist from such a vindictive action."

Sodiq Oyeleke

http://www.punchng.com/oau-suspends-student-union-leaders/

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Written by NEWSTRAWL ONLINE UPDATE

Sodiq Oyeleke is a Media, Human Resources, Project Management and Public Relations Practitioner