Contrary to the announcement by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Idowu Olayinka on Tuesday, that the Students Union of the institution has been proscribed indefinitely, the Students Union President of the university, Comrade Aderemi Ojo has said that the union remains intact.
Ojo made this declaration while addressing a joint press conference organized by the union’s executive council and the Students Representative Council of the institution on Thursday in Ibadan.
Ojo who was flanked by Secretary of the union, Comrade Uchechukwu Augustine and Speaker of the SRC Comrade Ibrahim Asiwaju said it was wrong for the Vice Chancellor to make such statement without Senate approval which he said was against the university regulations.
He said that the union was not a cube of sugar which can be dissolved anyhow.
He added that it was unfortunate that the university is waging an already lost battle against his government which has just spent 24 days in office.
“We are yet to receive any letter to that effect, our union is not a cube of sugar which can just be dissolved anyhow. You know all over the world, you deal with documents, we are yet to receive any document to that effect.
Ojo in his five-page address said contrary to insinuation that he verbally embarrassed the VC, the only time he spoke during his inauguration was when he was called to read his speech, and that he did not even mention anything like VC.
“My administration, the patriotic intelligencia was sworn into office on May 8. 2017, just 24 days ago. At the said swearing in ceremony, our plans and visions for the union were intelligently highlighted in my inaugural speech, full text of which were well circulated and can be easily retrieved from several news platforms that published it.
“Gentlemen of the press, contrary to the widely circulated but falsely concocted story of the much respected VC that I insulted him at the inauguration, the only time I spoke at the said event was to deliver my speech and no part either directly mentioned the VC or implied insulted him, his personality of his office.
“It is, therefore, both laughable and ridiculous to hear that the sole reason supposedly offered by the management for the purported suspension of the union after 24 days in office was that the President supposedly insulted the Honourable Vice Chancellor.
Ojo while speaking against unlawful victimization of students by the institution, its agents and the police both on and off campus informed that it was wrong for the institution to have claimed that the union directed students to act contrary to the institution’s regulations.
“It has also been suggested, quite wrongly by the university that the union directed students to act contrary to university regulations. However, it is right to affirm that we have only followed the laws made by the university itself and nothing else.
“For instance, the direction of the SU for all students in the hostels to use hot plates in the Kitchenettes which the management generously built was made on the foundation of the laws for the same is provided for in Chapter 6 of the Students Information Handbook written and circulated by the university itself and also the ethics governing the halls of residence on campus.
“The union was only advising students to the law abiding and thus help the management keep the law it has magnanimously drafted.
He informed that the union took several steps to prevail on the management to heed to the appeals of the union but to no avail, saying the Monday’s protest was peaceful and earlier approved by the congress of the union.
“The generality of students of UI are law abiding, peaceful but conscious… A students union congress was summoned on 27th May 2017…at the congress, it was resolved among others that the students’ identity card which is a standing levy in the fees of every student must be received before examinations commence.
“It was on this basis that the generality of students in a peaceful manner organized ourselves and proceeded on a peaceful protest on Democracy Day, May 29, 2017. Not one person was flogged, no shop was looted, no stone was thrown, no bottle broke, in fact the students marched with our hands in the air.
“Let it be known at this juncture that the university echelon was well intimated of the proposed protest, and even the VC had requested a night before that the protest be delayed so he could address the congress and concede to our demands. Myself and the Speaker intentionally stalled at the congress, awaiting the presence of the VC but we waited in vain as he did not pick his call again when dialed several times.
He said it was unfortunate that the university could announce their suspension without any formal document to that effect.
“It was a complete shock when the VC on Democracy Day undemocratically, solely and autocratically against university regulations and without any senate approval proceeded to announce at a broadcast on Diamond FM, the school radio that the school was being shut down. We have learnt that the approval for that action was granted a day after! That is obviously unheard of in sane societies.
The Students’ Union President, however, after accusations and dispel of some claims on behalf of the union made 9-point-demand from the university management. He called for the “immediate release of the Students Union Building and all properties of the SU that have been wrongly seized.
“Immediate return of all undergraduate students to hall residence.
“Proper and transparent account of the fees paid for the issuance of ID cards from 2015/2016 academic session till date.
“Students must have the right house hot plates in the kitchenettes as provided for by the laws of the university.
“Distribution of ID cards before first semester examinations for the 2016/2017 academic session.
“Immediate call for a welfare board meeting to address the sundry welfare issues on campus.
“Reinstatement of all wrongfully and unjustly expelled or rusticated students by the university central student disciplinary committee.
“An immediate audit of the university bursary department, UI Ventures, UI Micro Finance Bank, office of the VC, office of DVC (administration), office of DVC (academic), office of Dean of Students, Hall management committee of all halls of residence.
“University central library should be open for use 24 hours everyday as stipulated in the students information handbook”.
