Hike in Electricity Tariff: OAU Begins Electricity Rationing
The recent trend observed on the OAU campus is the rationing of electricity within the university community, especially across the undergraduate halls of residence.
Obafemi Awolowo University has been known over the years for its constant electricity supply, and many students refer to it as their "Paradise on Earth," even through the 2022/2023 academic session.
Meanwhile, the music has changed since the inception of the 2023/24 academic session on Saturday, 26th October 2024. It was discovered that the institution now provides electricity in both the academic buildings and the halls of residence.
Students React
In an interview with an occupant of Angola Hall, George stated, "It was not like this when I first resumed. We are used to having electricity supply 24/7, not until two weeks ago when Angola Hall started having power supply overnight until sometime between 10:00am and 11:00a.m. It would later be restored around 4:00p.m. in the evening. This has always been the case during mid-week days, but I have observed that weekends are always better, as the electricity is consistently available during weekends."
Sheddy, an occupant of Awo Hall, shared common sentiments, saying, "This new system of electricity distribution on OAU campus is totally strange to me. As a Part 3 student, I have been on this campus since 2022 and have lived in three different male halls of residence at OAU. Constant electricity is one of the reasons why I have always loved living on campus, but this new system is tiring and strange in the university community. However, I am getting used to it; at least it is better than that of off-campus."
Okikiola, an occupant of the Mozambique Hall of Residence, stated that she wasn't aware of the previous electricity distribution system, but the new method is much better because the power outages will encourage students to attend their classes instead of staying in the hostel watching movies on their laptops.
The shifts in electricity supply in the OAU Halls of Residence have also affected the academic area of the university. Reports indicate that electricity supply in the academic area is no longer as stable this session as in previous sessions.
It is clearly in a bid to manage resources more appropriately - Professor Odedire
In an interview with Professor John Odedire, the Dean of the Division of Students' Affairs, on Saturday, November 30, 2024, he explained that it is a recent development from the management. However, the power outage does not occur every time because he is sure there has not been any power outage in the Halls of Residence since Friday morning until this moment (Saturday night), and it will still persist until tomorrow.
Professor Odedire said, "the management is aware and is still investigating the issues, but it is clearly in a bid to manage resources more appropriately because the university is incurring significant debt solely from electricity services." He stated further that, "the electricity fee we paid in the last six months has tripled. There are several units within the university, and the Electrical Unit has also devised ways to ensure that the university can sustain itself."
He concluded by saying, "Ideally, all students should be in the academic area at any moment from 9:00a.m. to 4:00p.m. for lectures, and leaving the electricity on during that period is nothing but a waste of resources. That is precisely what has happened; the students should not be overly disturbed by this."
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