THE CLOSURE OF OBAFEMI AWOLOWO UNIVERSITY IS EXTREMELY INFANTILE AND PRIMITIVE AND SHOULD BE CONDEMN BY ALL AND WE DEMAND AN IMMEDIATE REVERSAL OF THE DRACONIA ,HASTY AND UNNECESSARY DECISION OF THE VICE CHANCELLOR TO SHUT DOWN THE UNIVERSITY.
Today the 1st of October, 2021 the students of the Obafemi Awolowo University in their numbers protested the painful death of their colleague Adesina Aishat Omowunmi who died as a result of the negligence of the staff of the University Health Centre and rather than responding to the issues that necessitated the protest in a mature manner the Vice Chancellor in his characteristic manner chose to worsen the situation by closing the campus and his only reason for this infantile and hasty decision is that the students exercised their rights to a peaceful protest. Although it is not unexpected, we still find it rather embarrassing that the management of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife could announce the closure of the institution in response to students' agitation against the death of one of them, Omowumi Aishat, a Part 4 student of the Department of Foreign Languages who died as a result of negligence by health workers at the University Health Centre.
As an association, we find it appalling that the University management could go to the extent of twisting the narrative by saying that she was adequately treated. Meanwhile, reverse was the case. It is on good record that the helpless student was abandoned and was certified brought-in-dead at Seventh Day Hospital, Mayfair for treatment where she gave up the ghost. But, the management in their characteristic manner had to lie that she was promptly treated of severe infection (which they could not even name). The fact that the management could not name the 'severe infection' is a testament to the fact that they lied.
As against the content of the 4th paragraph of the circular that was issued by the University management, there was no attempt by the University management "to call the students to order and allow normalcy to return to the campus and its environs...". Rather, the VC refused to heed all calls to come out and address the protesting students who were actually requesting for his presence at the protest ground. And, it is public knowledge that the students did not at any point in time during the cause of the protest engage in any form of "unbridled brigandage" not to talk of breaking any known law. At least, protest is an internationally recognised right and the students were still acting within the prism of their fundamental rights. Issues are very clear!
In unison, the Zonal leadership condemned the reckless closure of the University by the management and call on the VC to, as a matter of urgency and necessity reopen the institution for students to continue their examinations. We make bold to assert that if the University management should fail to announce the reopening of the University, the Zonal leadership shall relocate its secretariat to Obafemi Awolowo University campus gate until the VC reverse the decision. Also, we shall be calling for the removal of the University Vice-Chancellor at that spot and we shall be mobilising in our numbers.
We therefore call on students of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and charge all SUGs across the South West to put everything in place to arrive OAU campus gate tomorrow for a showdown until the management rescind the decision.
Time: 8am
Convergence Point: OAU Campus Gate
Aluta Continua!!!
Kowe Odunayo Amos
Coordinator, NANS Zone D
Giwa Yisa Temitope
Secretary-General, NANS Zone D