‘They want to destroy my career’: Postgraduate student sues UI over portal access denial

A postgraduate student of the University of Ibadan (UI), Kayode Bello, has filed a suit against the institution at the Federal High Court in Ibadan for allegedly denying him access to students’ portal.

The postgraduate student had, in March 2024, filed the suit alleging that UI authorities were victimising him by refusing him access to the students’ portal to register to pursue a Master of Communication and Language Art (CLA) degree.

After admitting all the documents tendered by the plaintiff and the respondent, Justice Nkeonye Maha, on Monday, adjourned the matter for Bello, representing himself as counsel and Ladapo Ladosu, the counsel for UI, to file their written addresses.

Ladosu, who had appeared in court on July 25 to represent the university, prayed the court not to deliver its judgement, arguing that neither he nor his client had been served with any court hearing on the matter.

Earlier, the plaintiff told the court that the authorities of UI had refused to allow him access the students’ portal where he could carry out his registration and every other thing concerning his studentship despite making every necessary payment.

FULL LIST: UI, UNILAG, BUK, CU rank 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th best varsities in Nigeria

Bello said: “My Lord, I was given admission for Master of Communication and Language Arts since 2021, but the authorities of University of Ibadan have bluntly refused to allow me gain access to the students’ portal to carry out the necessary registration.

“This is 2025, time wait for nobody; they want to destroy my career.

“This is the continuation of the victimisation I suffered at the Nigeria Law School when I protested insufficient seats for law students.

“Also, during my undergraduate days in University of Ibadan in 2008, I took part in a protest when there was an increment in school fees.

“I was suspended and ever since then, they have been on my neck.”

He disclosed that he gained admission for postgraduate degree in Maters of Communication and Language Arts in UI with his Higher National Diploma (HND).

The Star