University Of Ibadan Students Drag Vice Chancellor To Twitter, Demand Restoration Of Suspended Students’ Union

The students of the University Of Ibadan have taken to social media, particularly Twitter, to agitate against the ‘illegal’ suspension of the varsity students’ union body.  Also part of their demands was the restoration of all students who were rusticated for taking part in protests, at various times.



BY SAHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORKJUN 02, 2017

The students of the University Of Ibadan have taken to social media, particularly Twitter, to agitate against the ‘illegal’ suspension of the varsity students’ union body.

Also part of their demands was the restoration of all students who were rusticated for taking part in protests, at various times.

On Tuesday, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Idowu Olayinka, announced the suspension of the students union on the institution radio station, DiamondFM, following series of events that transpired between the university management and the student leaders after the school was shut down as a result of a peaceful protest led by the students’ union leaders.

Thousands of Unibadan students, in solidarity with some alumni and sympathizers, hit Twitter with the hashtag #OlayinkaMisfihashtagash tag, with over five thousand tweets, was trending on twitter between 8pm-10pm yesterday.

Here are some of the tweets;

Some of the old students also took a jibe at the former Vice chancellor of the institution, Professor Isaac Adewole who is now Nigeria’s Minister for Health, with the #AdewoleUitesAreComingForYou.

Students’ union president, Ojo Aderemi in a statement made available has claimed that the management has failed to provide the students with Identity cards for the past two sessions.

Saharareporters gathered that the students, who are about 40,000, paid N2000 each for the ID card that was never issued to them over the last two years.

“At the Congress, it was resolved among others, that the Student’s Identity Card, which is a standing levy in the Fees of every Student must be received before Examinations commence, not only have greatest Uites paid for our I.D Cards for two sessions now, we have been patient with the management that long” he said.

Aderemi added; “In fact, even when the fees fraudulently skyrocketed for no given reason from 650 naira last session to 2000 naira this session, an increment of over 200 percent, Uites still remained patient”

However, the university management said a date had been fixed to ensure that all the students get their ID cards, adding that the May 29 protest was unnecessary.

It will be recalled that about this time last year, the student were in a similar media combat with the VC, demanding his resignation after he shutdown the school over a protest and allegedly got two past union presidents arrested for taking part in the students’ protest.

On April 26th, 2016, the management closed the school following a two-day protest against what the students perceived as unjust rustication of Tunji Epketi Micheal aka “MOTE,” a 500 level student of Petroleum Engineering who was accused of taking part in a protest while he ought to be on internship.

Our correspondent also gathered that the two past union presidents, who are currently running their Masters program in the University, were also rusticated for two semesters

Saharareporters