OAU Students Refuse forceful Mid-Semester Break
The management of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, Osun State, has on Tuesday night shut the institution indefinitely following continued students protest on the campus of the institution.
The protest which lasted for two days started on Monday when the students held a peaceful protest at the entrance of the institution over poor condition of their hall of residence. Leaving many students and workers stranded as there was heavy traffic at the institution’s main gate.
According to the students, epileptic power and poor water supply had made the campus not conducive for learning.
However, the university’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Abiodun Olanrewaju, refuted the claim that the institution had been shut down, that the authorities only gave the students a mid-semester break.
The university’s student union government has, however, directed students not to obey the management and that they should refuse to take the break that was ordered. Holding that the mid-semester break was a ploy by management to achieve “something mischievous”
It was also reported that the students have, on countless occasions, complained about the poor state of hostels in the institution, a complaint which has, so far, been ignored by the school authorities.
“History will be made again as we prepare our intellectual arsenal and Aluta weaponry and proceed to the barricades.
“The congress of Great Ife Students on Friday 27th November 2015 unanimously expressed their animosity to the obnoxious state of our welfare, dilapidated hostel and among other administrative misdemeanor.
“The union has exhausted the tool of diplomacy without getting reasonable concession on how our welfare condition will be improved. The management in their Machiavellian tactic immediately restored the light after the congress.
“Why wasn’t it restored when our students were subjected to perpetual darkness for days? We are not carried away with the euphoria of the temporary supply of light and water.
“Our demands are more than just light and water as the horrendous living condition of our hostels requires rapt attention.”
A spokesperson for the student’s union government concluded.
