By Muhammed Fawas
The deteriorating state of student hostels at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) has continued to raise serious concern among residents, many of whom are calling on the university management to urgently address long-standing infrastructural decay. Interviews conducted across multiple halls reveal persistent issues, including poor maintenance, overcrowding, and inadequate sanitation, all of which significantly impact students’ well-being and academic performance.
Students Share Experiences
Speaking with OAUPEEPS, Haneef, a 300-level resident of Awolowo Hall, expressed displeasure with the dilapidated infrastructural condition of his hostel.
Before coming to live in Awolowo Hall, Haneef had experienced staying in both Angola and ETF Hall, where he suffered serious water issues.
‘While my stay in Angola Hall was quite lovely, we faced issues with water a couple of times. But it was much better than ETF Hall. At the peak of our troubles, we had no water for over three weeks. Water trucks had to be sent, and what they brought was far from enough.’
Having only just resumed, he explained that only one block in his current residence, Awolowo Hall, has been renovated, while the rest are in poorer condition.
‘Other blocks are in a state of disrepair. And there’s overcrowding. Too many students stay in one room, and this affects other issues like water.’
For Rasheedat Oluwasolafunmi, a 300-level resident of Akintola Hall, the story is not better.
‘God! Akintola smells. I thought holidays are for taking care of the hostels students will stay in on resumption. Imagine having a broken table, torn nets, no window, bad sockets, and you still have to fix it yourself with your money! What is the point of hostel fee?’
Oluwasolafunmi’s concerns are not new, though. ACJOAU had last year documented how, despite increasing the accommodation levy, students are still forced to repair things in their rooms and hostels at their own expense to make the place liveable for them.
Meanwhile, these challenges are causing various academic and welfare concerns for students. Oluwasolafunmi lamented how the recurrent parties at the Akintola car park constitute noise pollution for her and other residents. ‘Akintola’s car park is more of a party ground than a car park. And the everyday and night prayer sessions at the sports complex. The noise affects your thinking, making you unable to rest and study.’
Haneef has, in his stead, had to battle recurrent malaria due to the torn nets in his hostel. According to him, ‘The poor state of the nets on the windows allows mosquitoes easy access into rooms, even when doors are closed. It would usually result in cases of malaria, which I was a victim of, more than once in the last session.’
Cannot Live on Campus, Forced to Stay Off-Campus
Owing to the difficult conditions students face while living on campus, many students are opting for off-campus housing for better convenience and hygiene.
Maymunah Abdus-Salam, a 200-level Communication and Media Studies student, who now lives off campus, speaking with OAUPEEPS shared that staying on campus was her initial plan but was aborted owing to the unfriendly state of school hostels. ‘Staying off campus was not my original plan. I wanted to stay on campus for convenience and to avoid daily stress like long queues at the gate and rising transport costs.’
For Monsurat Ajibola, a 300-level student, visiting the school hostel once had long sealed her mind against staying on campus. ‘I stay off campus and I have never stayed in the school hostel. My brief visit to the hostel showed overcrowded rooms, shared toilets, and generally poor conditions. That made me prefer private hostels.’
Fix the Hostels, Students Bemoan
With many of these challenges persisting, students on campus are voicing out concerns for the management to prioritise fixing the worsening condition in halls of residence.
‘I strongly believe priority should be given to infrastructural development. Students have been paying for hostels on campus, not minding the increments. We deserve value for our money,' says Haneef.
‘Most of the halls on campus have not even been renovated in years. You would see the toilets and be in absolute awe. Rooms should be fixed, windows should be replaced. And fans should be fixed in all rooms. The heat these days is terrible.’
Abdus-Salam, echoing the same sentiment, says that fixing the hostel is necessary if students are to return to staying on campus. ‘Yes, if the campus is improved, I might consider moving back to campus; if not, I would rather continue spending on transport than living in an unfriendly campus environment.’
The growing dissatisfaction among students highlights the urgent need for comprehensive renovations in halls of residence. Until this issue is addressed, the deplorable state of campus hostels will continue to deter students from staying on campus and remain a significant hindrance to academic excellence and student welfare.
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