OAU CLOSURE: UNIVERSITY SENATE BACKS MANAGEMENT DECISION, ORDERS A PROBE OF THE STUDENTS' PROTEST - Ife City Blog

Obafemi Awolowo University Main Gate

The Senate of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife has affirmed its support for the decision of the management to close down the institution, following series of protests staged by the students.

The students had in the course of their protests blamed the death of one Miss Omowumi Aishat Adesina, a final year student on the negligence of the University Health Centre workers.

In a special release signed by the University Registrar, M. I. Omosule(Mrs) and obtained by Ife City Blog on Wednesday, the Senate while describing the decision of the management as prompt and pro-active, condemned the activities of the students particularly the blocking of the major highways around the University campus.

 

"The University Senate at the emergency meeting held on Tuesday, 5th October, 2021 reviewed the situation on campus, following the decision by the management that students should vacate the halls of residence and the Campus latest by 12:00 noon on Saturday, 2nd October, 2021 and that the swearing-in of the newly elected Students' Union officials be put on hold, pending a review of the situation.

"Senate expressed sadness over the untimely demise of Miss Omowumi Aishat Adesina and commiserate with the family on the loss. Senate thereafter observed a minute silence in her memory.

"Senate unequivocally, condemned the students' action in its entirety and frowned at the blocking of the Ife/Ibadan and Ife/Ede highways and other adjoining roads", the statement read in part.

The University Senate equally in the statement expressed its support for the management decisions to ask students to vacate their halls of residence and put on hold the swearing-in of the newly elected Students' Union officials, while mandating the management to institute a probe into the circumstances surrounding the students' unrest by setting up an independent investigative committee.

"The Senate commended the the Vice-Chancellor and the entire Management on the prompt and pro-active decision to suspend students' activities stressing that precious lives could have been lost, if actions had been delayed. It therefore affirmed its support for the decision taken by the Management that:

(1) students should vacate the campus and their respective halls of residence;

(2) the swearing-in of the newly elected Students' Union officers be put on hold.

"Furthermore, Senate mandated the University Management to set up an independent committee to look into the immediate and remote cause(s) of the Students' protest with a view to preventing any future occurrence. The Committee is to submit its report within two weeks".