From Protest to “Pick Three:” all you need to Know about Today's Protest

           Michael Olawuyi & Fawaz Adedeji 

It was a tense Tuesday morning at Obafemi Awolowo University, as students took to the streets, effectively barricading the Campus Gate in “an orderly and non-violent protests.” 

The Great Ife Students trooped out en masse to challenge the atmospheric situation of new anti-students transportation policy to disapprove of persistent existence of long queues that has resulted in a state of pandemonium in the University community.

Recall that the ICONS Organization reported that, the Union, on their resolutions of the Congress held yesterday at Awo Hall, was to stage a peaceful demonstration today at campus gate, with campus gate blockage until our demands on the new transport system are met.

Reacting to this, the management warned that the students should know that the protest and barricading the entrances leading to campus is a “criminal action,” since it infringes on the liberty of movement of staff members in the university.

“You should be aware that blocking of the university gates and access roads is criminal as it violates the freedom of movement of other members of the University management…,” the statement read.

As planned, the peaceful demonstration was held, as the management and students are still at loggerheads on the unproductive and cataclysmic commuting system on campus. The President officially declared the protest would be over by 4 p.m. concluding that the Union maintained the stance to continue harmonious and constructive dialogue with the University management. 

A few minutes after the protest was declared officially over, the management, through a release signed by the university PRO, made its move, declaring an immediate 3-week mid-semester break for all students.

 

According to the release, the management decided to shut down activities after the demonstrations over the new transport system erupted into "unruly conduct" which raised safety concerns. "The university hopes this pause will clear the tension and restore order, allowing for peaceful dialogue without chaos. Students have been told to vacate the school residences immediately.”

Amidst this, the campus gate remained blocked, restricting movement in and outside the campus. At one point, the Union president came to discuss the resolution, especially after the management had fought back by announcing a 3 month break. In his words; “we should all just embark on this break, we will restrategize once we resume.”

However, the students present declined his submission, recommending that the protest continue with the campus gate shut in those three weeks, until their demands are met. 

On opening the campus gate today, the students insisted that the gate remain blocked until a memorandum discussing the way forward is released, which the President said would take about 2 hours from then.

Despite this, after several attempts and persuasion that the Road 1 Gate be opened. The gate was finally opened to allow movement in and outside campus at exactly 6:45 p.m., less than the earlier planned 2 hours.

At around 7 p.m. the Division of Students Affairs (DSA) announced that all students must exit the Hall of Residence, effective from 7 a.m. tomorrow, Wednesday, 29 April. As of press time, campus gate has been opened, CNG buses are still inoperative, DSA announced hostel eviction, with no memo yet from the Union on the way forward.