By Omotola Lydia
Maintenance-based hostels, which house several OAU female students, have left residents in despair as management increases fees for this year. This despair arises despite a press release by the Students’ Union in December 2025, which called for a reversal of the hike at BVERS hostel until the next session. The SU further directed residents to pay only the previous amount and declared a ‘state of emergency’ across all maintenance hostels.
However, more than a month later, nothing has changed; instead, the situation has deteriorated. Residents of other maintenance hostels are now also experiencing fee increases. Despite the state of emergency and no significant improvement in living conditions, residents decry coercion by hostel management to pay increased fees to secure their accommodation.
Residents Lament Sudden Hikes and Poor Facilities
Flourish, a resident of BVERS hostel, lamented the sudden financial burden. ‘We were paying ₦170,000 per person in a three-bedroom, but now they are asking us to pay ₦270,000. The ₦100,000 increase is sudden. They did not even give us the grace of part payment,’ she said.
She added that the facilities do not justify the cost. ‘The truth is that a lot of students will move out. The Students’ Union came and said we should not pay the increased fee, but some people have paid, and there is nothing we can do.’
Pelumi, a resident of De-Gold Hostel, shared a similar experience. ‘We were paying ₦200,000 before, and it was increased to ₦250,000. This increase is without any advantage. They only offered us this wardrobe that looks like a cubicle, a student-sized bed, and a small ceiling fan. No extra facility. We are also sharing a bathroom and kitchen, which I think is not fair.’ She further noted that roommates must still pay ₦5,000 every two weeks for electricity out of their own pockets.
At Aderonke Hostel, Joy, a resident, expressed her frustration to OAUPeeps. ‘We were paying ₦180,000 before, and the rent was increased to ₦250,000. Where do they want us to see the extra ₦70,000? We are just students, and this is very unfair.’
Joy further questioned the lack of follow-up from student leaders following their earlier declaration. ‘I do not know what the Students’ Union is doing about it because some people are already paying the increased rent, and no one is saying anything. Even with the increase, the hostel has water and light issues and a lack of basic facilities.’
Allegations of Coercion and Verbal Harassment
A resident speaking under anonymity revealed that BVERS residents have continued to suffer verbal harassment and coercion to pay before 15 January 2026. Following the initial outcry reported by the ACJOAU, which prompted the student union intervention, the original deadline notices have been replaced with ‘renovation notices’; however, the manager has continued to enforce the 15 January deadline through verbal demands.
‘Now it is just mouth the manager is using to tell us to pay before the 15th,’ the resident said. ‘When we were resuming [after the yuletide break], he asked us to write our names and when we are going to pay—not later than January 15th—in one particular book. He has been using his mouth to remind us since then.’
This increment also worries prospective residents. Halimah, who planned to move to Maintenance, shared, ‘During the holiday, I already planned to rent a space. The hostel I wanted was collecting ₦215,000, but when I went back recently, the rent had been increased to ₦225,000. I was unable to pay because I hadn't budgeted for the extra money. Now I may have to start looking for cheaper hostels off-campus.’
Students’ Union Responds to the ‘State of Emergency’
Meanwhile, residents are now calling on the Students’ Union to revisit the matter. Speaking with the Welfare Officer of the SU, Shuaib-Osunleke Musab, on the progress of the state of emergency, he said, ‘After we declared a state of emergency, we addressed the issue with the school management and the owners of different hostels in Maintenance. We also went on inspection to all Maintenance hostels.’
He explained that because these hostels are privately owned, the union has no direct capacity to regulate prices. ‘Maintenance hostels are private hostels. The agreement the school signed with them cannot control the price; we can only lobby as a union to plead with them to review the price. For now, the union has decided to carry out inspections. We have appointed a representative to each hostel to collect the list of issues, and after this is completed, we will have a meeting with the school management and the owners to find a way forward and ensure everyone gets the worth of their money.’
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