OAU Students Demand 50% Tuition Fee Reduction in Ongoing Protest

OAU Students Demand 50% Tuition Fee Reduction in Ongoing Protest

Osun State, Nigeria – Students of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State, have taken to the main campus premises to protest against the recent hike in tuition fees. They are demanding a 50% reduction in fees, which contrasts with the 15% decrease implemented by the institution’s management.

The university’s management had initially announced a 300% increase in school fees, sparking outrage among the students. Subsequently, the management reduced the increment by 15% in an attempt to address the students’ concerns.

However, the students remain dissatisfied with the modest fee reduction. They gathered at the main campus gate at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, brandishing placards and chanting solidarity songs to emphasize their demands. Their placards carried messages such as “Fee Must Fall,” “Let the Poor Breathe,” and “Education Sector is Bleeding.”

The protest, led by Akinremi Ojo, the institution’s student union leader, aims to secure a 50% reduction in tuition fees. Ojo asserted, “Weeks before, we threatened to shut down school activities if the management failed to meet our demands. We have declared that this protest will continue every day until our demands are met.”

The university’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olarenwaju, commended the students for their peaceful demonstration but urged them to prevent any attempts by hoodlums to hijack the protest. Olarenwaju also highlighted the need for the students to address their grievances with the appropriate authorities, such as the federal ministry of education, finance, and the Chief of Staff to the President.

He explained, “We decided to reduce the initial chargeable fees when the leadership of their union persistently demanded re-negotiation, but we told them that the 50% reduction they are asking for will not be realistic in the long run.”

“We’ve been here since morning; we are here together. They are our children, and we are their local parents, and nothing spoils,” he added.

As the protest unfolds, both students and university management await further developments in this ongoing tussle over tuition fees.