Students protest: Authorities close down OAU indefinitely

The authorities of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, have closed down the institution until further notice, following students’ protest over the death of their colleague, and in its bid to forestall further breakdown of law and order.

This was contained in a release issued by the Public Relations Officer of the University, Abiodun Olarewaju, which was sent to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Friday, in Ile-Ife.

In view of the action, all students have been directed to vacate their halls of residence and the campus, latest by 12:00 noon on Saturday, 2nd October, 2021.

Olanrewaju had on Friday issued a press release which stated that on Tuesday, 28th September, 2021, one Aishat Adesina, a 24-year old female, Part 4 student of the Department of Foreign Languages, had died.

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The release said that the deceased had reported to the university’s Health Centre with signs and symptoms of a severe infection.

She was promptly treated with some prescribed drugs and asked to report back as an out-patient. She reported back to the Health Centre in the morning of Thursday, 30th September, 2021.

Upon examination, the release said, she was referred to the Seventh Day Adventist Hospital, for further management where she regrettably died on the same day.

Olarewaju stated that the management understood the grief resulting from this untimely death within the community and sympathises with the parents, friends, colleagues and the entire students of the University on this sad loss, and prayed for the repose of her soul.

In the meantime, the University management has put in place a machinery to unravel the circumstances surrounding the immediate and remote cause(s) of the students’ protests.

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

Management also condemned 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 to the school.

It further stated that students’ engaging in other acts that were detrimental to their health and the safety of the generality of the people was opposed by the school authorities. (NAN)