As the rain semester examination of the Obafemi Awolowo University approaches, It’s been close to two weeks now that the academic areas of the university has been in total darkness.

The academics area which covers the lecture theatres and offices of the lecturers cum administrative section of the school can be said to be facing huge huddles of electricity which has been a major set back of normal lecturing activities.

It will be recalled that the school Management recently released the amended calendar which stated 29th of January as the beginning of 2016/2017 rain semester examination which is just few days to go, the students has found it difficult as the university library is under lock&key with the only option left for the students to read which is the academics area in total darkness.

Apart from difficulties reading at night, due to the blackout, practicals/laboratory works has been put on hold especially for students in the faculty of Science, Pharmacy, Agriculture, Technology etc.

It’s also been inferred that some departments are not done with their tests which is prerequisite to the examination, their students and the generality of the great Ife students are now to prepare under darkness and health destroying candles to source light to cover their reading thirst with the popular Awolowo Cafe& Halls of residence now on new colour as it’s always full to the brim.

However, the school management has not made any release to the community over the blackout. According to a source, a lecturer who pleaded anonymity, said that “the school Vice Chancellor communicated to the lecturers to bear with the the administration over the hitches caused by the electricity disruption around academic areas.” He added that “it was caused by the fault in the cable connection which those in charge(non-academic staff) to rectify the scourge(faulty cable) has been on strike over allowance issue.

Speaking with OAU Peeps News Agency, a student of the Department of Economics, Ologbenla Tolu caught reading in AUD 2 said that “the management has always taken their success with levity adding that ever since resumption from the End of the break, the university library has been locked coupled with blackout in the academics area.”

Also speaking , Olushola Oludiran, a student of English while lamenting on the state of the school said ” the management should please rectify the light so that students will be able to read and prepare well for their coming exams”.

Akande Azeezat of Psychology Department reading with lamps in ODLT 1 pleaded that the management should devise every possible means to make up the light before the examination period.

Meanwhile, Olateju Oluwasegun RAY added that the current situation came to stay with no fear of its repercussion on the university management as the management has been able to kill the consciousness of students, bring disunity among students and render students powerless in making demands for their rights through the serial proscription of the students’ union knowing fully well that it is easier to win a struggle as a body and not as individuals. He further added that as long as students continue to manage with the bad situation, he foresee more anti-student policies as from next session.

However, Speaking with OAU Peeps News Agency on telephone,the Dean of Students Affairs, Prof. I.O Aransi refused to comment on the black out of the university academic area.