OAU directs students to proceed on mid-semester break following transport protest

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –

The management of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, has directed students to proceed on a mid-semester break following recent protests over a newly introduced transportation system on campus.

In a statement issued by the institution’s public relations officer, Mr Abiodun Olarewaju, the decision, as approved by the university senate, takes immediate effect.

According to Olarewaju, the break became necessary after protests by students over the new transport arrangement escalated into unruly conduct, including obstruction of major access roads and alleged harassment of other road users.

He noted that despite efforts by the university authorities to engage students and appeal for calm, the situation continued to raise concerns about the safety and well-being of members of the university community and the general public.

Consequently, the senate directed the management to ask all students to proceed on a three-week break to restore order and create room for meaningful dialogue with relevant stakeholders.

Students of the institution had on Tuesday staged a protest, demanding additional buses to ease transportation challenges on campus. The protest was one of several staged over the same issue.

They stated that the available buses were grossly inadequate for the over 40,000 students, as well as artisans, teaching and non-teaching staff, and other campus users.

It would be recalled that First Lady Oluremi Tinubu recently donated 50 buses and 30 tricycles to ease transportation on campus.