Organisers of the nationwide protest against economic hardship were unable to mobilise students on campuses to join the exercise, not because the national student body, the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, said it would not take part, but because of the ingenious ways school administrators handled the matter.
Following the directive by the Federal Government that heads of higher institutions should ensure the safety of lives and properties on campuses, the managements subsequently took different steps ranging from semester break, to outright closure to preempt any eventuality.
LASU shuts down
On the eve of the start of the protest, the management of the Lagos State University, LASU, Ojo, Lagos, announced that students and staff should keep away from the campuses of the school until further notice.
The statement, issued late on Wednesday night, was signed by the Coordinator of the Centre for Information and Public Relations, Mrs Oluwayemisi Thomas-Onashile, and it said: “In view of the planned nationwide protest scheduled to commence on Thursday, 1st August 2024, the University Management, following a meeting held on Wednesday, 31st July 2024, hereby directs all staff and students of the university to stay off campus on Thursday, 1st August 2024.
“The directive is aimed at safeguarding the lives and properties of staff and students of the university during the course of the protest.
“Against this background, the Lagos State University Students Union General Election scheduled to commence on Thursday, 1st August 2024, is hereby suspended until further notice.
“Further information on resumption of socio-academic and administrative activities in the university would be provided in due course.”
UNILAG postpones examinations
Similarly, the management of the University of Lagos, UNILAG, postponed the ongoing second semester examinations in the school.
In a statement signed by Alhaja Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem, Head, Communication Unit, the management said:“In view of reports of the planned protest scheduled for Thursday, August 1, 2024, members of the University Community are hereby advised to remain calm, safe and security-conscious at all locations.
“Management has put in place precautionary measures to ensure your safety, security, and well-being on the three campuses of our university, especially due to the ongoing 2nd Semester, 2023/2024 examinations.
“Please note that all examinations scheduled to hold on Thursday, August 1 and Friday, August 2, 2024 are postponed till further notice. A new schedule for all the papers initially listed for these two days will be announced in due course.”
Yabatech goes for one week virtual teaching
The management of the Yaba College of Technology, Yabatech, directed that teaching would be totally virtual for a week. The action is to keep most of the students, who live off campus, at home.
According to the press statement issued and signed by Dr. E. J. A. Akinwale, the Acting Registrar of the institution on Wednesday, July 31st, 2024, the college said only the online screening exercise for HND 1 part-time students would continue as scheduled, adding that lecturers were expected to attend to students’ needs online and provide support during the period.
“Given the need to maintain peace and order on campus, the management after a series of meetings involving the Academic Board, the Principal Officers, and the Security Committee has resolved that all lectures for both full-time and part-time students will be held virtually using various online platforms for the next one week, starting from 1st of August 2024.”
FUTA declares mid- semester break
So as not to be caught off guard, the management of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA, declared a two-day mid semester break for the students. The break covered August 1 and 2.
When contacted by Vanguard Learning, the Head of the Information Unit, Mr Adegbenro Adebanjo, explained that the university was already due for the break, even before the protest started on August 1.
However, some students of the university noted that the break was too coincidental. They said in the past, mid-semester break was not just for two days and that the school resumed for the semester just a few weeks ago.
For whatever purposes the schools took such steps, it worked, as some believe that if students were to join the fray, the situation could have degenerated more than it did.
