Ondo varsity students threaten protest over N200,000 accommodation fees

By Boye Oyeyemi

Students at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, in Ondo State, are threatening to stage a public protest following an abrupt surge in local accommodation charges, with private property owners reportedly demanding up to N200,000 for standard single-room units.

Operating under the Students’ Union Government (SUG), the student body additionally intends to take its grievances directly to the palace of the Alale of Akungba-Akoko to secure the traditional monarch’s formal intervention regarding the worsening housing crisis.

During a stakeholder meeting convened at the university’s Old Relaxation Centre, SUG President Folagbade Greatness formally announced the planned action while expressing deep dissatisfaction over the limited success of earlier diplomatic engagements.

Addressing the assembly of union executives and undergraduates, Greatness acknowledged that prior mitigation measures spearheaded by the official housing committee had failed to produce meaningful relief for the affected population.

To counter the ongoing financial exploitation, Housing Committee Chairman Olatigbe Olaniyi Daniel advocated for the mandatory registration of all local estate agents and residential premises situated within the university district.

Furthermore, Daniel proposed holding a coordinated public demonstration alongside a peaceful assembly at the royal palace to compel local property owners to engage in structured rent negotiations.

Endorsing these strategic measures, Greatness directed the immediate deployment of an online portal to gather data on housing conditions, caretaker identities, and recent rental rate increases directly from the student body.

Consequently, the union leadership has confirmed plans to establish an active monitoring committee, distribute information flyers across the campus, and mobilize the student populace for the upcoming community campaign.