A senior official of Atiba University, Oyo State, has described some protesting students as “intellectually bankrupt” during a demonstration over the university’s Law programme.
The official, identified as a Deputy Vice-Chancellor, was said to have made the remark while addressing the protesting students outside the university on Monday.
The students were protesting the Council of Legal Education’s decision to impose a 10-year moratorium on the university’s Law programme over deficiencies in its facilities and alleged violations of regulations governing legal education.
In footage circulating online on Tuesday, the DVC urged the students to remain calm, saying, “Let’s calm down. We’re all intellectual beings, so one day you might even find yourself in my shoes. So, don’t talk rubbish because you don’t know what your future will be.”
The students, however, urged the university official to focus on the immediate crisis affecting them.
“Sir, let’s focus on this one. Let’s focus on our present,” one of the students said.
The DVC then said, “Listen, listen! Many of you are intellectually bankrupt. When I say you don’t know what your future holds and you are replying to me, I’m a successful man! If you are able to be like me in life, thank your Almighty God! What are you talking about?”
Another student, displaying a document on a mobile phone, referred to the date of the Council of Legal Education’s decision, saying, “August 19th, signed by the Secretary of Council of Legal Education, August 19th…”
The DVC responded that the date was irrelevant and urged the students to listen to him.
“Doesn’t matter! Just listen! Just listen! Whatever… noise will not help you. I’ve been shouting it. Noise will not help you! Crisis will not help you! There are some fundamental issues that you must understand. I showed a letter to one of you the other day,” he said.
The DVC also told the students that the issue surrounding the Law programme predated the university’s accreditation, a remark that drew boos from the crowd.
“This thing is not just there online. It was there before our accreditation,” he said.
The confrontation came a day after the Council of Legal Education imposed a 10-year moratorium on Atiba University over what it described as deficiencies in its facilities and violations of regulations governing legal education.
According to the council, the university’s facilities were “inappropriate and inadequate” for establishing and operating a Faculty of Law.
It also found that the university had admitted and graduated students without obtaining the requisite approval.
The development has left affected students and graduates concerned about their progression to the Nigerian Law School.
On Tuesday, the National Association of Nigerian Students President, Akinteye Babatunde, posted a video showing the DVC climbing a fence in what appeared to be an attempt to leave the university.
Babatunde wrote, “The Law Student’s of ATIBA UNIVERSITY, make sure the DVC who spoke to them rudely and arrogantly during their protest yesterday, could not leave the school, until he escaped through the Fence…
“This is the type of judgement that await all Oppressor … We are in solidarity with the Law Students and we will join them to get justice…”
In a separate press release dated August 24, 2026, NANS expressed solidarity with the protesting law students.
The association criticised the university management for continuing to admit students into the programme despite lacking CLE recognition and approval, leaving graduates stranded.
“It is rather appalling that despite the affected students’ continuous agitations and the intervention of the apex student representative body, NANS, the management of Atiba University, Oyo State, has paid no heed to these genuine agitations.
“Every sane individual must begin to question the integrity, efficiency, and competence of the management of Atiba University, Oyo State. We have it on record that despite the University’s inability to secure the recognition and approval of the Law programme by the Council of Legal Education (CLE), which has left graduates stranded and unable to proceed to the Nigerian Law School, the management of Atiba University, Oyo State, is still admitting students into this programme,” the statement read.
The association called on the National Universities Commission to immediately withdraw the university’s licence and demanded that Atiba University resolve all outstanding issues and provide a clear pathway for eligible students and graduates to the Nigerian Law School.
Failure to act promptly, NANS warned, would lead to further escalation.
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