OAU students threaten protest over tuition fee hike

The leadership of the Students’ Union of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife in Osun State has appealed to the university management to reverse the recent increase in tuition fees.

The president of the union, Abass Ojo, made the appeal at a press conference at the university premises in Ile-Ife on Monday, September 18, 2023.

OAU had, in a statement issued by its Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olarewaju, disclosed that the decision to hike the tuition fees was taken by the Senate of the university at its emergency meeting on September 12

Ojo, however, said the leadership of the union had issued a five-day ultimatum to the school management to reverse fee increment, starting from September 15 to September 19.

He said if the OAU management refused to reverse the increment after the ultimatum, the union would embark on a series of peaceful protests and other activities.

READ ALSO: OAU increases tuition fees 

Ojo stated that the students’ unions in all the federal universities were in accord to fight against tuition increment in all campuses in the country.

He said: “It is OAU Students’ Union that is delaying the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) at the state and federal level on when to shut activities in various campuses.

“We are the one keeping others waiting. We told them to exercise patience until after the ongoing dialogue with the management.”

The union president noted that the excuse given by the OAU management that the increment was due to the fact that the Federal Government only pay staff salaries, while the university is responsible for other expenses, was not tenable.

Ojo, therefore, called on the Federal Government to increase budgetary allocation to the education sector toward providing quality education.

The Star