Protest: OAU Management Orders Closure of Institution, Directs Students To Vacate Halls of Residence

The management of Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, has ordered closure of the institution over continued protest of the students following the death of a final year student, Adesina Aishat wumi on Thursday.

A release by the Public Relations Officer of the University, Abiodun Olarewaju, obtained by Vreporters on Friday stated that the Management is not shying away from the grief resulting from the untimely death within the community and sympathised with the parents, friends, colleagues and the entire students of the University on this sad loss, and prays for the repose of her soul.

The release read in part, ‘Management condemns in strong terms the continuous and uncontrolled protests by the students culminating in unbridled brigandage, blocking the Ife/Ibadan and Ife/Ede highways and other adjoining roads that could be used as alternative routes, and engaging in other acts that are detrimental to their health and the safety of the generality of the people.

“Therefore, having exhausted all necessary avenues to call the students to order and allow normalcy to return to the Campus and its environs, the authorities of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, have accordingly closed down the School until further notice. This is to forestall further breakdown of law and order.

“In view of this, all students are hereby directed to vacate their halls of residence and the Campus latest by 12:00 noon on Saturday, 2nd October, 2021.

“Consequently, the swearing-in of the newly elected Students’ Union officials has been put on hold, pending a review of the situation.

“In the meantime, the University management has put in place the machinery to unravel the circumstances surrounding the immediate and remote cause(s) of the crisis” .