At about 5pm,the protesting Students were already moving to their hostels,after a peaceful protest when the school management released a Press Statement ordering the Students out of their halls and stating the indefinite closure of the institution.This piece of NEWS threw the students off balance with people discussing the issue and making different comments.Some few minutes later the Public Relations Officer of the student Union went round the hostels urging the students to remain on campus. When he got to Awo,the residents of the hall told him that they have nowhere to go to before whether the school calls for strike or not.Tunde also made up his mind not to leave the school,there was no point going home when he may never come back to school if the matter is not resolved.June 18,2014 the OAU Management declared an indefinite strike.The next day the students marched to the school gate and locked it, they also prevented anyone from going in or out of the campus.
The school Management June 18,2014 cut power supply and left all hostels in darkness,they also closed down all Butteries few days after. Tunde sat down in front of the SUB,with latest developments he knew the battle line has been drawn between Students and Management.
Students stepped up their operation the next day and brought in food items to cushion the effect of closing of Butteries and even the New Market, then the policemen came. This policemen want to chase us out ni sha;Tunde commented,when he saw them in their APC just opposite the school gate. Tunde joined the students who sat on the fence expecting the Policemen to forcefully open the gate. The Students' Union President who didnt want any confrontation of any kind engaged the policemen in a conversation but the Policemen assured him that they were just there to maintain peace and orderliness.
Give me Kerosene, Tunde shouted as Students scrambled to get Kerosene,thinking the Policemen would teargas them when they saw them training.The Students formed a barricade with Tunde in the middle expecting the Policemen to attack them.When the Students saw that the Policemen wouldn't attack them,they withdrew a little bit back.
Few minutes later a Dj arrived and played great Music,as Students danced with happiness not minding the presence of Policemen. Exactly 6pm,Tunde left the School gate very happy that the whole protest was peaceful but worried that some students want to leave because of unavailability of Light and Water.
The writer of this story, Oyedeji Olanrewaju is a Part 2 student of the Department of Accounting, Obafemi Awolowo University. You can reach Oyedeji through his e-mail: Olanrewajusamuel8@gmail.com
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