By: Utibe Emmanuel 

On Saturday 14th of October 2023, the University of Ibadan Students’ Union (UI’SU) at the Students’ Union building Foyer gathered to hold a Congress – a general meeting of students – at 7am, which was called in line with Article XIX of the Union’s Constitution.

During the Congress the Council of Faculty Presidents came up to deliver their report on the state of things so far as it affects them.

The president of the council, Comrade Fiyin Atinmo, highlighted how the council was faced with the challenge of new fee which are not present on the students portal but was introduced under names like faculty levies.

He noted that the School management told them that they are unaware of these fees but then the deans of various faculties has so far insisted on these fees and have even gone ahead to make sure fees compulsory for registration in some faculties threatening the students to get them to pay.

He highlighted the various fees which each faculties have been making their students pay. He reiterated the official position of the union for the students to still hold on with payment of those fees and called for the management to come for a town hall meeting with the students leader so that all these issues would be appropriately ironed out.

The President of the Council of Hall Chairpersons, the Mellanby Hall Chair, then came up to present the report of the council.

He noted how the council has been involved in school fees negotiations and price control negotiations, talking on the various meetings which they have held with various members of management.

He talked on the issues affecting the council, issues like the erratic electricity supply to some halls and even the fact that it has gained the designation of Africa for some and Europe for others.

He also noted the issues of poor water supply in many halls, the poor state of the hall facilities like the toilets, rooms, reading rooms, painting amongst others.

He further talked about the delays in getting maintenance to fix issues in the hostel despite the fact that by school rules, students can’t fix things in the school.

Lastly, the President of the Union, Host, came up to deliver the state of the union in which he noted the various issues which the union has worked on and tried to tackle since the inception of the current administration.

He talked on the issues of the school fees negotiations with the school management and he reiterated the position of the union on those fees which are not on the school portal.

He also talked on the issues with the price negotiations especially the recent saga with the cafeteria people going on a strike for a while in order to increase the price of a spoon of rice.

He then iterated his desire to ensure that his administration does everything they have set out to do.

“I won’t leave this office creating problem for the next administration,” the president noted.

After his addres, he then opened the congress for deliberations on all the issues which have been noted.