The Students Union, Obafemi Awolowo University took to the street of
Oyo state as its joins in the celebration of Nigeria at 55 to peacefully
expressed its displeasure at the non payment of workers’ salaries accross
Nigeria especially in the Osun state and Oyo state.
The Union and its members who despite in their period of examination
came out en-masseto protest the poor funding of educational sector, have
demanded that President Buhari to implement the 26% budgetary
allocation to education as recommended by UNESCO.
Members of CEC were led by Students’ Union President, Omotayo
Akande (TY); Students’ Union Vice-President, Oladunjoye Opeyemi
(Oprah); Students’ Union Secretary General, Oketooto Oluwaseun; the
Union’s PRO, Ojedokun Emmanuel (Immanuel Kant) and; the Union’s
Welfare Officer, Hamzat Olajide(Secrenene).
Two buses were used to convey all individuals present.
The Student Union President, Omotayo Akande took center stage to give
a welcome message. He spoke on the reason for embarking on trip which
was a two-way motive trip: to pay a condolence visit and embark on a
protest. He further enlightened all students present on the order of
programme for day.
He stated that there would be a protest at Ibadan to pass messages to the
Governor of Oyo State through the media houses on the poor welfare
conditions on Obafemi Awolowo Campus and the non- payment of
salaries by the State Government despite receiving various funds as
bailout for the disbursement of these monies.
This was a welcome idea by everyone in the bus as they all abided by the
President’s plan.
Along the way, the Union’s President threw a question and opened the
floor to all students in the bus to bear/lay their minds bare on certain
intellectual discourse as pertaining the Independence day celebration.
His question was titled, ” 55 years of Nigeria’s Independence: Is Nigeria
truly ‘Independent’ or ‘neocolonized'”
As a preamble to the discuss, the President spoke on the unpaid salary
trend, Ministerial listing, political party Ideologies and EFCC’s recent
recovery of stolen funds. Attempting to be comprehensive in his
approach, he spoke on the HDI(Human Development Index) factor
fashioned out by Europeans in order to measure a country’s growth in
totality of all areas.
The criteria he mentioned for this HDI Measurement were just three:
Gross Domestic Product(GDP), Life Expectancy and Literacy. He spoke
on how developed countries could only attain 0.9 out of a 1, noting that 1
is the highest while stating that developing countries fluctuated between
0.1 and 0.2.
Bringing home his argument, he spoke on the collapse of some parts of
Block 4 in Awolowo Hall of Residence, the ever dwindling welfare
situation on campus;he however justified these reasons in his preamble
to the argument. He finally called for submissions, stating that Education
was the only way out of Nigeria’s socio-economic,Economic and
political mess.
A submission was given to further press home his point by one of the
students. Which agreed to the ever glaring fact that Education is the only
solution that can be used to tackle any problem. Proper planning and the
right intellectuals are all that is needed.
To conclude the argument, Omotayo Akande called on Adebayo
Benjamin, ACJ’s President to speak on the effect of neocolonialism and
the role of the press in the whole process.
Laying Credence to the book, “How Europe Underdeveloped Africa,” the
ACJ President advised that as students,we should erode
underdevelopment and fight for what is ours, adding that Education is
our only way out.
The Union’s President pleased with the trend of the arguments, pushed
for an Aluta praise and worship Session that was heralded by the Two
versions to the Great Ife Anthem. Lots of songs were chanted to praise
the Greatness of the University and the generality of the Students.
However, when “TY” came back on stage(inside one of the buses), he
observed that some of the students could not “gyrate” as they should and
he stressed the need for everyone to be able to “gyrate” properly.
Immediately the buses arrived at Iwo road in Ibadan, protest placards and
handbills were quickly distributed as a massive protest started in earnest.
All students, engaged in a protest blocking the traffic as they marched
down to NTA Ibadan on foot, followed by the two buses at a slow pace
inhibiting the flow of traffic on the way.
Interviews with the President, Vice-president and other notable
individuals in the Union were taken by ACJ Correspondents.
The protest continued at NTA Ibadan but the media house proved to be
obstinate and unapproachable as they refused the Union say even after
the roads were blocked to attract their attention. An ultimatum was given
with immediate effect.
It was after much cajoling that the Union were finally given audience
and a live coverage. The President of the Students’ Union, Omotayo
Akande spoke first, conveying his message to the Government in English
after which Oketooto Oluwaseun relayed his in the Yoruba Mother
tongue.
The protest moved to the National Union of Journalists(NUJ),Oyo
council secreteriat in Ibadan where the Union was warmly received as
their press statements were taken before another media coverage was
given.