Daniel UGWO

The Students of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife on Tuesday morning, 28 April obstructed movement of vehicular activities in and out of the institution.  Recently the School’s Managements introduced the university transport system popularly referred to as “OAU Shuttle.” The introduction of this shuttles, including tricycles has restricted the aged long public transportation system, including Okada. They have now been restricted from entering the institution to carry out business activities.

Restricting the public transportation has not only increased the cost of transportation of anyone going in and coming out of the institution, it is in addition, insufficient. Formerly, the transportation from closest town to the school cost N250, but the public transport authority has now inflated cost of transportation per drop to N400, even to the school’s gate - as a result of their ejection from the institution.

This formed the basis of students’ agitation, leading to the restriction of vehicles. Since the protest commenced, anyone planning to go inside or coming outside has been left stranded, or rather left with the only option of trekking.

Amongst the inscriptions on their placards are; ‘Welfare over aesthetic, No Oppression,’ ‘Students are biggest stakeholder’ ‘Fix Transport’ and others. Speaking with the Student Union Public Relation Officer, Oreoluwa Joseph Olowosile, he commended the Management of the institution for the idea behind School’s transport system. According to him, the agitation is not to condemn the system but to address lapses. He reported that the union has reached out to the Governing Council since the past four weeks which yielded no positive result.  He said that the School’s transport system is definitely inadequate and this has left many colleagues stranded.

Some students affirmed that they have to trek sometimes in the morning and later in the evening when the queues are longer than the available transport could service. Olowosile further complained that despite the insufficiency of the transport system, many lecturers care only about the classes and attendance, without considering the transport circumstances causing student to be late to classes or even absence from classes.

Two requests were clearly stated by the Students’ Union Government. The first is to suspend the ongoing renovation which has displaced hundreds of students without any temporary option provided by the institution. The second is to accommodate the public transport system if the School’s Authority cannot provide adequate shuttle that can service the students’ population.

He confirmed that the School’s Governing Council came to address them during the protest and has yielded to their request on suspension of renovation. He however stressed that the protest will continue as long as it lasts, until the School’s Management grants their other request.

At the time of gathering this news, the protest has been peaceful. Olowosile responded that there is no noticeable form of intimidation from the authority, and that adequate arrangement has been put in place to curb any excesses. He assures that the protest will definitely be protected from possible hijackers.

However, security team from the Nigeria Police Force are on standby at a visible distance from the venue of the protest.