Protest: One Week After NANS' Intervention, No Senate Meeting, Break Continues
Oyelakin Juliet, a resident of Moremi Hall, with no other option moved to her friend's hostel off campus, after the peaceful demonstration held at the campus gate by the student on Tuesday, 28 April, over the university’s transportation crisis, Awolowo Hall renovation, and other related concerns.
Just a day after the protest, of which the management declared a 3 week break, with the Division of Student Affairs (DSA) issuing quit notice to the hall residents, the National Association of Nigerian Students, (NANS) South West Zone D intervened, with the hope for the reversal of the break.
Juliet's expectation after the intervention was that the break would be reduced to one week as demanded by the national students union. "Originally, I did not want to go home, but since they are not saying anything about it, I will be forced to go home by the end of this week," she said.
It has been one week since NANS intervened in the recent crisis at OAU campus, and the university Senate is yet to reconvene to deliberate on the reduction of the break to one week. In fact, no specific resumption date has been announced yet.
The Synopsis of the story
On Monday, April 27, students of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) resolved at a congress held at Awolowo Hall to protest against the ongoing transportation crisis. They began with a sensitisation protest from hall to hall, ahead of the main protest on Tuesday, 28 April.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), South West, Zone D subsequently intervened, with members locking the Road 1 gate. This then caught the management’s attention, that they summoned a joint meeting where they presented their demands, chief among which was that the management reduce the announced mid-semester break to one week.
OAU management, through the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Administration, Oluropo Akinfala, responded at a joint meeting held at Ajose Lecture Theatre that the decision to review the break could not be made unilaterally, and that the university Senate would need to reconvene. One week later, that meeting has not occurred and nothing has been said about it still.
"The Break Continues;" OAU Students Reaction
Speaking about the absence of a Senate meeting, Oluwafemi Adetunji, a Part 4 student of Sociology, said he was not surprised about the silence. “I was never expecting any development, despite NANS’ intervention. Even till now, I don't think anything can change the break because the management has already decided, and to change such a decision will require rigorous procedures,' he said.
He added that even a federal-level NANS intervention would not have moved him to expect change. “For me, the university management only met with them to fulfill all righteousness,” he said.
Another student, who did not want his name in print, described the silence from management as deliberate. "I am not feeling anything big, but the lack of a Senate meeting and feedback to students just shows that we have not been put in mind by the school management. The school management just feels like they can do whatever they want," he said.
He added that the NANS’ intervention had only exposed how little the university cared. "After NANS intervened, it revealed to us students that management is nonchalant and negligent toward the condition of the school and the students themselves. Many final year students have been sent home, especially those who already experienced the eight-month strike and the COVID-19 pandemic. They have had their lives halted just like that. Many are not supposed to still be in school, and yet here they are, while management remains nonchalant.”
Management and NANS Yet to Speak, the Break Continues
In an interview, the university's Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olanrewaju, declined to give a clear timeline on the Senate meeting. “Let us see how it goes if the Senate is considering reconvening,” he said.
In a bid to get a balanced report, all efforts to reach the NANS coordinator for further comment proved abortive, as he did not respond to messages at press time.
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