3 OAU Students' Union Leaders Bag 14 Semesters Suspension

Authorities of the Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Osun State, have suspended three student union leaders for allegedly assaulting a professor. The students are the President of the student body, Omotayo Akande who bagged six semesters (three years); PRO, Emmanuel Ojedokun – four semesters
(two years); and Secretary General, Seun Oketooto –
four semesters (two years).
The trio are all final year students and they would
have started their examinations in the next two
months.

Students of the university, however, argued that the
suspension of their leaders have to do with their
recent agitation for better welfare conditions on
campus.
It would be recalled that students of the OAU had
staged a day peaceful protest, lecture boycott and
later media campaign against the poor state of
infrastructure in the university.
Subsequently after the students agitation for better
welfare, the authorities of OAU shut down the
university by declaring a mid-semester break which
lasted for about a month.
The school had since the closure of the school also
suspended student unionism on the campus.
It was further learnt that some hall (hostel)
executives ?in the university are currently facing a
panel for their roles in the protest against poor
welfare on the campus.
The suspended OAU Student Union President, Mr.
Omotayo Akande, confirmed the suspension in a
statement aimed at dousing confusion among
students.
Akande, who is a 500-level Chemical Engineering
student said, "We will like to note that the union is
currently examining the situation and will try to
adopt the best approach to handle the victimisation
and achieve not only our reinstatement but also
ensure that the cause for a better welfare condition is
achieved in the university."
He claimed that none of the suspended students had
any record of impoliteness, adding that the protest
was embarked upon after diplomacy failed.
Meanwhile, the Alliance of Nigerian Students Against
Neo-Liberal Attacks has faulted the suspension of the
students.
The group described the action as not only escapist
but also undemocratic.
It added, "We wish to state that we strongly condemn
the victimisation of student activists by the
authorities under any guise; and we advise the OAU
management to desist from such a vindictive action."