UPDATE: Why we shut OAU indefinitely – Management

The students protested a hike in their tuition fees.

The Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, has been closed down indefinitely and students ordered to vacate the school premises.

The school’s management took the decision to shut down the school following three days of continuous protest by the students.

The school’s Public Relation Officer, PRO, Abiodun Olanrewaju, told PREMIUM TIMES that the school was shut down because of the continuous protest by the students of the University.

“The university administration has decided to shut down the school because of the persistent student demonstration which led to the breakdown of law and order,” he said. “We have decided not to allow further break down of law and order and to protect the sanctity of lives and
property.”

Mr. Olanrewaju said the students were directed to vacate the university premises and hostels by Thursday.

The students, since Monday, have been protesting to demand a reversal of the hike in school fees as announced by the management.

For several hours on Wednesday, several administrative staff of the school were held up in the Senate building, as students barricaded it seeking audience with Bamitale Omole, the Vice Chancellor, VC.

It is not clear if Mr. Omole, was inside the building; but he had earlier on defended the fee hike.
“The charges being paid by the OAU students were not only the lowest in the entire Nigerian University system but also the most ridiculous in the entire tertiary educational system in Africa,” he said at a press conference.

Also standing by the decision to hike the tuition fees, the PRO, Mr. Abiodun, said the decision is not negotiable at the moment, hence, students should go home to be with their parents.

“Well the school fees in not a negotiable issue at the moment. The governing council of the university has given the go ahead that the student in science, art, physical and pharmacy should pay N19,700, N30,700 and N33,700 respectively,” he said.

Mr. Olanrewaju said the university administration does not consider the sums exorbitant and lamented that the students insist on paying the old fees
“The university says no. If the kids will be doing this, then they should go and meet their parents at home,” he said.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the school management has brought armed police officers to the school gate, perhaps to bring them in on Thursday to force the students to leave the school.

The use of armed security operatives to quell students protests is common in Nigerian higher institutions sometimes leading to the death of students including in OAU in 2004.

Mr. Abiodun did not comment on the armed security officials but said the university’s Senate will re-open the only when it sees calm return.

“The closure is indefinite,” he said.