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.”
