By Gbayesola Samuel 

More than 24 hours after a Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan ordered the reinstatement of three students of the University of Ibadan popularly known as the UI3, the executive council of the University of Ibadan Students’ Union led by Deboye Temidayo is yet to issue an official statement addressing the judgement as of the time of filing this report.

The judgement, delivered at about 5 pm on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, ordered the reinstatement of Mide Gbadegesin, Aduwo Ayodele, and Nice Linus following legal proceedings challenging disciplinary measures taken against them after their participation in a protest during a Students’ Union swearing-in ceremony in 2024.

As of Friday morning, April 17, 2026 checks across the Union’s known official communication platforms showed no formal statement acknowledging the court ruling or expressing solidarity with the affected students.

Constitutional Responsibility

According to the constitution of the Students’ Union, one of its core objectives is to “foster and protect the interests of its members.” However, the Union had not publicly communicated its position regarding the reinstatement order more than a day after the judgement.

As observed by IndyPress, no principal officers of the Students’ Union were observed in attendance during the final hearing held on Wednesday. Which raises a wider question of concern and welfarism.

Reacting to the development, a Facebook user, Kayode Bello, criticised the Union’s silence in a post published hours after the judgement.

“It is almost 24 hours Aduwo, Mide received judgment to reinstate them as lawful and bona fide students of the University of Ibadan,” he wrote.

“But the Deboye-led Students’ Union administration is yet to make any congratulatory or solidarity statement in support of the students.”

He described the development as “worrisome,” expressing hope that the Union would respond.

Earlier Concerns About Union Response Patterns

The current silence follows similar criticisms directed at a previous Students’ Union administration led by Covenant Odedele during the suspension of two of the affected students by the university’s Central Student Disciplinary Committee in July 2025.

4 Semesters: UI Suspends Two Student Activists Over Anti-Fee Hike Protest 

At the time, the Union issued its official response nine days after the disciplinary decision, a delay that drew criticism from sections of the student community who questioned the timing and tone of the statement.

The four-page release was also contested by some students on the Union’s X platform, where reactions challenged claims contained in the statement regarding efforts at mediation.

Responding to the Union’s earlier claim that it had extended “multiple invitations for cooperation,” Gbadegesin stated at the time that the assertion did not reflect his experience.

“I can hardly recognize the Union President’s face. I first saw him at the SDC panel, where he sat mute all through the hearing,” he said.

“We have not spoken or chatted, not even once.”

Another X user, @JObirija reacting to the Union’s earlier statement urging that dissent be “thoughtful and strategically sound,” questioned whether the affected students had done more than peacefully display placards calling for a reversal of fee increases.

Similarly, Miss Linus, one of the victimized student noted that earlier efforts to collaborate with the Union toward mobilisation around the court process did not receive a response.

As of the time of this filling, efforts to obtain comments from the Students’ Union President, Deboye regarding the Union’s position on the court-ordered reinstatement were unsuccessful.