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Three Students' Union leaders in the Obafemi Awolowo University have been suspended for allegedly assaulting a professor.
The students are the President of the SU, Omotayo Akande who bagged six semesters (three years); PRO, Emmanuel Ojedokun – four semesters (two years); and Secretary General, Seun Oketooto – four semesters (two years).
If the academic calendar is not disrupted, the suspended students will spend a cumulative of seven years at home all together.
It was learnt that all the suspended students are in their final years and are expected to write their final examinations in two months time.
Students of the university however argued that the suspension of their leaders was not unconnected with their agitation for better welfare.
It would be recalled that students of the OAU had staged a day peaceful protest, lecture boycott and later media campaign against the poor state of infrastructure in the university.
Subsequently after the students agitation for better welfare, the authorities of OAU shut down the university by declaring a mid-semester break which lasted for about a month.
The school had since the closure of the school also suspended activities of the OAU SU.
Our correspondent gathered that some hall (hostel) executives in the university are currently facing a panel for their roles in the protest against poor welfare on the campus.
The OAU SU president, Mr. Omotayo Akande, confirmed the suspension in a statement aimed at dousing confusion among students.
Akande, who is a 500-level student studying Chemical Engineering said, "On January 8th, 2016, we received calls from our respective departments asking us to come and pick up letters. In those letters were directives that we have been placed on suspension. The President, Secretary General and PRO on six, four and four semesters respectively.
"Hours later, we were asked to return the letters. After some days, we were later informed that we have letters and on going back we received the same suspension letters.
"We will also like to inform the students body that the union is currently examining the situation and will try to adopt the best approach to handle the victimization and achieve not only our reinstatement but ensure that the cause for a better welfare condition is well pressed home."
He further claimed that the suspended students had no record of impoliteness, adding that the lecture boycott was embarked upon after diplomacy failed.
He added, "It is apposite, for the purpose of historical references, to reiterate that we committed all to the struggle for proper welfare condition exhausting diplomacy for months before resorting to the media and a day peaceful lecturer boycott. It is also pertinent to assert that we have no antecedent of being impolite or bellicose to any individual either staff or even our fellow students before and throughout the struggle.
"We have treated every staff and students with full regard and respect and the premise of suspending us for assaulting a university professor becomes worrisome which makes me so discomfited. I will also for the purpose of the records say that I am been suspended for assaulting a Professor that I have never set my eyes on until the day we met at the panel that recommended the suspension, where I was courteous to him like everybody providence gives me the privilege of meeting on earth."
On his part, the suspended Public Relations Officer of the OAU SU, Emmanuel Ojedokun, appealed to well meaning Nigerians, students, organisations to rescue the three of them involved.
The 400-level student studying International Relations said, "Sequel to the suspension of union activities, the invitation of some union leaders to an investigative panel and the re-opening of the university. I must confirm to you that truthfully our studentship have been suspended.
"It is important to inform the public that our suspension was premised on Professor Y.K Yusuf saga but even the foetus on OAU campus knows that our suspension was borne out of something deeper. , the President, Secretary General and PRO are 2 months away from completing our programmes."
Meanwhile students of OAU have faulted the decision of the management to suspend their leaders.
Some of them under the aegis of Alliance of Nigerian Students. Against Neo-Liberal Attacks considered the suspension as manipulative, escapist and undemocratic.
"We wish to state that we strongly condemn victimisation of students' activists by the authority, under any guise; and we advise the OAU management to desist from such vindictive action," they said.
https://dailytimes.ng/oau-suspends-students-union-leaders-14-semesters/
https://dailytimes.ng/oau-suspends-students-union-leaders-14-semesters/
Written by NEWSTRAWL ONLINE UPDATE
Sodiq Oyeleke is a Media, Human Resources, Project Management and Public Relations Practitioner
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