By: IndyPress News Desk

Despite the Students’ Representative Council’s approval of four thousand naira as the payable basic due, freshers at the Great Independence Hall of Residence are being compelled to pay a total of ₦4500, IndyPress reports.

Recall that on April 7, 2025, the 12th Assembly, during its second emergency sitting — which summarily held less than 72 hours after the first — approved an increased sum of ₦4000 as the new session basic due.

Contrary to what the 12th Assembly sanctioned as compulsory, new students in the Great Independence Hall of Residence are being compelled to pay a sum of ₦4500 as hall basic due.

On April 13, 2025, the Executive Council of the Great Independence Hall of Residence, in a broadcast addressed to fresh residents, highlighted a breakdown of the hall fees.

The breakdown of the hall fees includes Hall Dues at ₦4,000, Hall ID Card at ₦500, either a Hall Shirt or a Hall Hoodie at ₦5000 and ₦7000 respectively, and Freshers’ Week Dues at ₦500.

“Bring all documents listed in Section A (including the receipt for the ₦500 Hall ID Card). Pay the confirmed total amount ONSITE during registration: ₦10,000 (if choosing shirt) or ₦12,000 (if choosing hoodie). Hall ID Card (₦500), one merchandise item (₦5,000 / ₦7,000), and Freshers’ Week Dues (₦500),” the hall’s Executive Council wrote.

Speaking to IndyPress, a fresher who spoke under anonymity confirmed that he paid ₦4500 as hall basic due.

He, however, acknowledged that he was aware that ₦4000 had been sanctioned by the SRC as the basic due.

“It depends. There are things attached to it that make it ₦4500. But I am aware that the basic due is supposed to be ₦4000,” he said.

“₦4000 for the basic due and ₦500 for the Freshers’ Week” – Nifemi Oluwatuyi, Indy Hall Financial Secretary Says

In an interview with IndyPress, the Financial Secretary of the Great Independence Hall of Residence, Nifemi Oluwatuyi, clarified the reason for the ₦500 increment in the hall basic due.

He explained that during the registration process, the Administrator General of the hall, Peculiar Adedeji, had informed the freshers that the additional ₦500 was to cover the expenses for Freshers’ Week.

“Basically, before the whole registration started, the AG addressed them, and we gave them a breakdown on why we would be collecting ₦4500, which is ₦4000 for the basic due and ₦500 for the Freshers’ Welcome,” Nifemi said.

When asked if the ₦4000 basic due approved by the 12th Assembly was not meant to cover the expenses for Freshers’ Week, Nifemi claimed it has been a tradition in Indy Hall for freshers to pay ₦500 for Freshers’ Week.

However, IndyPress can confirm that in the 2021/2022 academic session, freshers were not charged ₦500 as a fee for Freshers’ Week.

When reached by IndyPress to provide clarification on the development, the Administrator-General of the Great Independence Hall of Residence, Peculiar Adedeji, declined. He said he would get back to the press, but not as of press time.

“₦4000 is the maximum payable due and it is the only one that is compulsory” – Shoge Quadri, Speaker of the 12th Assembly

Speaking to IndyPress, Shoge Quadri, the Speaker of the Students’ Representative Council, condemned the development. He stated that the ₦500 increment should have been optional.

He further confirmed that during his time as a fresher, he was not subjected to paying ₦500 as an orientation fee.

“₦4500? No, no. The maximum payable basic due is ₦4000. I’m just hearing that from you now. That shouldn’t be. According to the memo released by the Dean of Students, ₦4000 is the maximum payable due and it is the only one that is compulsory. Every other fee is optional,” Shoge Quadri said.

“I will call the President now to reverse that. When I was in 100 level, that kind of money didn’t come up. We were only asked to pay for the basic due; then the other optional one was for a jacket, which I also paid for. But any orientation or whatever, that is not part of it. I will call the President now. I am currently on a bike,” he added.

With freshers being compelled to pay more than what was sanctioned by the SRC as the basic due, it raises concerns about the disregard for the policy made by the 12th Assembly. It further raises concerns about the disregard for the Union policies and students’ interests.