“The way forward is first to critically look at where we are and how we got here. The final choice is to pick a direction.”
Like various federal universities, the University of Ibadan has long been a beacon of hope for countless Nigerians who seek quality and affordable education. But recently, an escalation in payable fees has raised serious concerns among students and their families. Over the last few months, the University of Ibadan introduced several new fees, which have increased exponentially the financial burden on students, forbidding their right to access affordable tertiary education.
The current issue of fee hike may be traced roundly back to the last academic session, when the University implemented a twenty thousand (20,000) naira utility levy, as well as studio and another, laboratory fees. While the fees drew some criticism from students, many hoped that the institution would reconsider or explain the rationale behind the introduced fees at least. Ripping the rug out of students’ feet further, the fees not only have persisted but have also been applied indiscriminately. For example, the laboratory levy, which seemingly may be logical for science-based faculties, was forced on students in faculties such as Education, where laboratory work is not a key component of the curriculum. Insensitivity is insensitivity, as a neoliberal policy is neoliberal policy, to call a spade a spade.
Students’ response last session was majorly quiet. They mostly bore the burden without much concerted pushback. Unfortunately, the lack of significant resistance emboldened the university administration. Fees for the current school year rose to previously unheard levels. Some departments pay up to 300,000 naira, a hefty increase. This increase not only startles, but also raises serious concerns about the university’s commitment to affordable education. The University of Ibadan has no doubt put itself on a coarse desert road.
UI’SU Congress – Disrespect, Disregard, Contempt
“When a man makes a fence, you will know his level of wisdom” – African Proverb
At the University of Ibadan, the Student Union Congress is the highest-level decision-making body, representing the aggregate voice of all students. The Congress is more than just a forum; it is a key democratic institution where students can express their rights, debate urgent topics, and make decisions that influence their well-being. But in recent times, a disturbing trend has evolved among Students’ Union (SU) leadership: reluctance to convene Congress and an undisguised disrespect at it.
From Adeyinka Adewole (Mascot) tenure, to Samuel Samson Tobiloba’s tenure, who for no reason delayed the first congress under his watch and falsified resolutions of one the held congress, and now to the current administration led by Aweda Bolaji, there has been a consistent disregard for the constitutional requirement to hold regular Congress meetings, mobilize for it or adulate its authority. This unapologetic evasion is not only a violation of the students’ rights but also an affront to the democratic principles of the Students’ Union.
The hesitation to summon Congress appears to originate from a concern of confronting the student body’s ideas and criticisms. The Congress is essentially a venue for different voices to challenge the established quo, analyze the Students’ Union actions, and hold its leaders responsible. By neglecting this critical involvement, executives and the indifferent SRC members essentially silence students conversation. This arrogant trend has no positive future. “Kgosi ke kgosi ka setshaba” the African proverb says – ‘a king is a king only through the will of the people’.
Protest: Victors Are Those Who Show A Desire To Try
Over the years, protests have always been a critical means of expression for students in Nigerian universities. It has been a powerful tool for airing grievances and demanding change. After the nonviolent demonstration of May 2017 at the University of Ibadan (UI), student protests have become a rarity. The last significant protest held seven years ago and ended on a sour note. The then Students’ Union President was suspended and the Union unduly incarcerated. The memory of that outcome left a lasting chill over student activism. Organic as the case is, it is 2024 and a new wave of protests eventually emerged. The bands of protest thus far reflects deep dissatisfaction with the administration’s handling of key issues affecting students and the dehumanized welfare of students.
On Monday, May 13th, 2024, during the inauguration of the current Students’ Union executives and legislature, three brave students staged a peaceful protest. Armed with nothing but placards calling for a reduction in fees, they stood in silent dissent against the known plan by the University of Ibadan management to inflate fees outrageously. The action was peaceful, their demands straightforward: it was a call to deflate the policy. However, within minutes, university security (known locally as Abefele) intervened, arrested the students and swiftly transferred them to military officers under the appellation Operation Burst. What followed was a chilling reminder of the university’s hardline stance on dissent: the three students were issued Students’ Disciplinary Committee (SDC) letters and forced to face the SDC panel, a process that has historically been used to intimidate and silence dissenting voices. The students, although consciously unbroken, are still held within that figurative panel.
The crackdown on peaceful protesters did not go unnoticed, and the oppressive tension on campus continued to simmer. On Tuesday, July 16th, 2024, a protest erupted following the release of a memo from the university administration announcing electricity rationing. The students, already frustrated by the soaring fees, found this decision unacceptable. The protest quickly escalated with such demands which called for an end to electricity rationing, a reduction in fees, and other reasonable requests. The message was clear: students were no longer willing to remain silent in the face of policies that were making their lives increasingly difficult.
In response to the July protests, the university administration promised to bring the matter to the attention of the Governing Council, which was set to meet on August 29th. The frustration boiled over again on the night of August 29th. It started by 10:20pm at Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall of Residence by a few students before residents of the hall joined and to other halls. It lasted overnight till about 2PM, and was characterized by a massive turnout and a historic congress. Students, feeling betrayed and ignored, took to the streets in protest once more. The demonstration resumed by 5 am on Friday, August 30th, as students demanded justice, fairness, and the fulfillment of the promises made by the university administration. This time, the protest resulted in an unsolicited response from the Professor Kayode Adebowale-led Vice-Chancellorship administration, academic activities was suspended for three weeks, and students ordered to vacate the premises.
The role of the Students’ Union leaders is to represent and champion interests of the students, alongside the students. Recent actions by the Students’ Union leadership at the University of Ibadan (UI) suggest strongly a troubling departure from these principles. Instead of standing by their constituents in the fight against the recent fee hike, students leaders have repeatedly taken steps that undermine the students’ struggle, leaving many to question their conviction and commitment to the cause.
The first sign of this came when Aweda Bolaji, the Students’ Union President, ignored to officially intervene in the continued victimisation of the three students and afterward an abrupt postponement of a scheduled Congress. This postponement was supposedly owing to his and his vice president’s need to travel to Abuja, which was beneath a respect to the most pressing issue of preference. The Congress, being the Students’ Union highest decision-making body, cannot be postponed arbitrarily by any individual. Bolaji, however, went ahead and issued a statement with the Students’ Union letterhead, signed by both himself and the General Secretary. These were the first of several activities that would result in the exploitation of the union’s letterhead for objectives that were, at best, questionable and, at worst, outright manipulative.
Shortly after this contentious postponement, 270 students signed a letter requesting for a Congress. Rather than respond to this valid demand, the President delayed calling the Congress for nearly a month, alleging “unrest in the country” as his excuse. But other activities, such as the SEALS CUP, a football tournament, continued on campus despite the framed nationwide turmoil. This discrepancy exposed the hollowness of the union leadership’s pale excuse and other hand strengthened suspicion that the delay was a purposeful attempt to escape student scrutiny.
When the Congress was eventually convened, it was marred by controversy and manipulation. Not only were the resolutions passed at the Congress falsified, but Bolaji went so far as to walk out on the students, showing a blatant disregard for their voices and decisions. This act of walking out was not just an insult to the students but a clear indication of the leadership’s reluctance to engage with the student body genuinely.
The protests on August 29th dealt a last blow to the students’ trust in their leaders. Students played proactive roles in defending their own rights. The Union leadership had no focal role in the protest. Its legitimacy had become a grain of millets in a bottle scornfully winked at by students. Following the original protest, the Students’ Union leaders were compelled to note that that they would not represent the students in the likely meeting with the university management unless a Congress was held to select the representatives.
Adding another feather to its disregard for the students, the following day, the Students’ Union leaders went into the Senate Chamber meeting without the students’ permission, connived and unilaterally decided to end the protests in exchange for a three-week delay to pay the tuition. This decision was taken against the explicit wishes of the students, who were campaigning for a total reversal of the fee hike, not even an extension.
The decision to call off the protest was revealed in yet another statement on the Students’ Union letterhead, leaving many students feeling misled. The announcement essentially ignored the student body’s unified demands and presented the leadership as complicit to undermine their campaign. The extension, which the union leaders touted wrongly as a triumph, fell far short of the fundamental demand for a complete reversal of fees, highlighting the sheer and shameless reactionary leadership detachment from the student body’s actual goals.
The consequences of this betrayal were palpable. Following the discussion with the university administration, students actually turned their backs on the President and his executive team, expressing their despair and frustration with leaders who had clearly abandoned their cause. This act of turning their backs was more than just a display of rage; it was a profound expression of distrust in a leadership that had failed to fulfill its responsibilities.
Impact of UI’SU Inactions
The acts of the Students’ Union officials at the University of Ibadan have not only damaged the students’ fight against recent fee increment, but have also had far-reaching consequences for the whole student body. The most obvious result has been the abrupt closure of the university and the suspension of all academic activity for three weeks, a decision that has interrupted the academic calendar and caused great hardship for students. The fundamental part being that it was not an adequate solution to students plight!
When the university management announced the institution’s closure, they published an internal memorandum giving students only six hours to depart their halls of residence. With such short notice, students scrambled to find transportation, pack their possessions, and make unprepared for trips. The move was met with astonishment and fury among the student body, but in a vital moment that required strong representation and defense of student interests, the Student Union leaders remained silent. The compromise of the Students’ Union leadership had become daringly overwhelming.
No student leader issued a statement opposing the administration’s unexpected and draconian decision, or encouraging students in their respective constituencies to fight or negotiate for a more reasonable timetable. The Students’ Representative Council was dead in silence and has been till date. The incorrigible Executive Council has sold the struggle to arrogance and ignorance. The quiet was deafening, especially given the difficulties faced by many students who live in distant states. For individuals living in Nigeria’s northern, eastern, or south-southern regions, the six-hour limit was not only impractical, but unattainable. The physical and financial burden of such unplanned travel was enormous, but the union leaders did not advocate for their constituents or demand a more humane and practical answer to the protest blueprint. This failure to act on behalf of students is a major breach of the social contract on the part of the Student Union officials. The aftermath of such inaction are far-reaching. The closure has decimated students presence on campus to actively keep on the noble fightback against against unconscionable fee increment. With the campus shuttered and academic activities suspended, the protests’ momentum has to take a new turn.
All questions, comments, and enquiries should be forwarded to the Editor-in-Chief at indypressui@gmail.com or +2349052902527.
