"Ballot and Sell": The MMM of OAU

      

       Oluwafemi Adetunji 

One of the most popular timeless African proverbs — “he who has a head has no cap, while the one who has the cap has no head” perfectly mirrors the ugly realities of the undergraduate students of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, particularly their struggles for the limited hostel accommodation.

It is no news to the students that securing a bedspace in the OAU undergraduate hall of residence is no right but a privilege, as accommodation is allocated through an online balloting system on a “first come, first served” basis, allowing only the fastest fingers often aided by stable internet connections, to stand a chance of being granted accommodation. Those who also ballot for the hostel but lose out, are usually left frustrated and forced to seek costly off-campus alternatives.

Over time, the struggle for bedspaces has birthed a thriving "black market hostel" – a risky underground, perhaps secretive business, where privileged students allocated bedspace turn to “bedspace vendors,” selling their slots for double or triple the official accomodation fee. Many deliberately ballot, not to live in the hostels, but to profit from desperate students. Menwhile, the official accommodation fee remains ₦50,000 per occupant, yet prices on the resale bedspace by vendors range between ₦100,000 and ₦200,000. Some students even hire middlemen (mostly peers) who take commissions, further inflating the prices.

 A middle man added an extra commission of #10,000 to a bedspace sold for #100,000 in Fajuyi Hall, further inflating the already inflated price.

The persistence of this practice raises a haunting question: who bears the blame — the defiant students or the management that turns a blind eye?

What the Rules Say

According to Rule 2 of the “Basic Rules and Regulations for Accommodation in the Hall of Residence” issued by OAU’s Division of Student Affairs, “sales of bedspace or transfer from one place to another is not allowed,” it further provided two sanctions for breaking the rules as payment of a “compulsory fine #50,000” and “ejection from the hall of residence.” Yet, these sanctions seem to exist only on paper, as the business persists at every academic session.

a copy of the basic rules and regulations for accommodationnin the hall of residence 

The Business Moguls 

The illegal trade, despite its rejection by the hall's rules and regulations, resurfaced during the 2024/2025 academic session's returning students accommodation balloting held on Friday, September 26, and Friday, October 3, 2025. In the aftermath, WhatsApp groups across the campus became mini marketplaces, flooded with ads from “bedspace sellers” charging outrageous amounts.

Bedspace ads spams OAU WhatsApp platforms during the last balloting process, with some vendors rejecting Part 1 buyers, perhaps to avoid being caught.

An undercover investigation by ICONS Reporters revealed that female hostels attract the highest prices. The findings also exposed that even OAU graduates and outsiders are deeply involved in the racket, determining prices based on their profit margins and the desperation of buyers.

During our negotiation with a vendor, a room in Alumni Hall costs #180,000, with a convincing voice note claiming that all issues related to the occupant's Identity Card and other clearance, would be taken addressed with ease.

                a proof that graduates are also active in the business 

A male bed space in Fajuyi Hall is sold for #110,000, with an assurance that the buyer would enjoy a free ride in and out of the hall, without any interferance from the hall management. This further posed questions on the official responsibilities of the portals assigned to the male hall of residence mentioned.

Students' Union Reacts

Speaking in an interview with ICONS reporters, the Students’ Union Welfare Director, Musab Osunleke, condemned the practice, affirming the Union’s “zero tolerance” stance. He also disclosed the union’s plans to set up a special committee to investigate and penalize offenders. In his words, “the union understands that some students may wish to give their spaces to friends or family members, but it must not be at the expense of giving it out at outrageous amounts, the union frowns at extortion, we heard that some even charge as much as ₦150,000 to ₦200,000, especially for Moremi Hall, we are also aware that some staff members are complicit too, but any culprit caught will face consequences.” — Musab added.

DSA Reacts

Responding to a question about the management's stance on this, the Dean, Division of Student Affairs, Prof. John Odedire, reiterates that the university management has never tolerated, and will not tolerate such misconducts. 

Speaking further, Prof. Odedire described the ongoing sale of bedspaces as a “gross contravention on the institution’s accommodation regulations," stressing that any student found culpable, would be compelled to refund the illegal proceeds to the university’s account, and forfeit their allotted space.

He further urged students to uphold integrity by promptly reporting any colleague or roommate involved in such illicit transactions, assuring that defaulters would face strict disciplinary actions in accordance with the hall's rules and regulations. — The Dean explained.

Since the business has been thriving within the university hall of residence for decades, putting an abrupt end to it may seem difficult, however, it requires a strict collective inputs from the DSA, Students Union, Hall Management, alongside the Residents. Selling of bedspace may undoubtedly be a "Get-Rich-Quick" hustle among students, however, beyond the gain, it is indeed illegal and attract sanctions.