How OAU’s Shared Grid with Ife Steel Factory Exposes Students' Appliances to Lethal Voltage Surges. ₦ 180 000 Worth of electrical gadgets Destroyed in 48 hrs.

 By Ogunlana Klistivivi

 It was first a sharp “pah!” followed by the acrid smell of burning plastic.

For Ibrahim, it was the sudden silence of a 15-year-old fan — a family heirloom — followed hours later by a blown Laptop charger and extension box. For Sanmi, reading at 4 a.m., it was his phone charger dying in the middle of the night. For Balogun Daniel, it was the explosive “poof” of a light bulb, shattering and spraying glass across his room.

Over two days — Tuesday, January 27, and Wednesday, January 28 — a catastrophic voltage surge ripped through Gloryland Hostel, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, destroying students’ essential electronics and causing losses conservatively estimated at over ₦180,000, based solely on documented reports.

When the Association of Campus Journalists, OAU (ACJOAU), contacted the university’s Works Unit, the explanation raised deeper concerns: Gloryland Hostel draws power from a transformer shared with an off-campus iron-smelting factory, limiting the university’s ability to regulate voltage. The official advice to students for future protection? “They can use stabilizers.”

This investigation documents how a known infrastructural vulnerability exposed students to avoidable losses, while responsibility for protection and compensation was quietly shifted onto those already affected.

WHEN THE HUM STOPPED

The first sign was a silence when there should have been a hum.

In the early hours of Tuesday, January 27, in one of the rooms in Gloryland Hostel, Ile-Ife, Ibrahim* woke to find his fan motionless. Its red power light stared back, a dead eye in the dark. This was no ordinary appliance; it was a piece of family history, handed down by his grandmother from the UK, having survived over a decade and a half of use. In Gloryland Hostel, on that quiet morning, it simply fell silent.

That was the first ominous sign, one he didn’t consider significant at the time.

“I just felt that, oh, my fan... what's happening? I left it on. I met it off. The red light was on, but I looked at it, and it wasn't rotating. I was like, ah,” Ibrahim said.

Having just woken up with sleep in his eyes, Ibrahim was unable to place what had happened. His roommate, who had been awake reading through the night, said the fan had just suddenly stopped working in the middle of the night.

Confused, Ibrahim, a devoted Muslim, set out to pray. At that point, he thought it was a minor technical fault. He carried on with his daily activities in the hope that later, he would just come back, spin it, and get it running again. Or so he thought. When he eventually returned to turn it on, the first shock of the long 48-hour ordeal arrived.

“I sha came back, removed it, spin it, spin it. In short, I diagnosed pe kini yi ti lo (the fan had gone),” Ibrahim recalled with resignation.

He was not the only one, though. Across the hostel, Ibrahim learned other residents had experienced similar spoiling of their electrical gadgets, suggesting that it might have been due to a one-off light disturbance that had seemingly stabilized over the course of the night.

“So I was like, okay, maybe the light…But I felt like, okay, it was stable now,” he said.

But Ibrahim was just about to find out that what he thought was a random, one-off glitch was only the beginning of a stream of losses over the 48 hours. Later that night, as Ibrahim went to sleep, this time without the usual humming and breeze from his fan, little did he know the catastrophe awaiting him.

THE EXPLOSION

The next morning, Wednesday, the 28th, Ibrahim woke up early to study on his Laptop, which he charged alongside. When the battery was fully charged, he disconnected the charger from the laptop but left it plugged into the extension.

Around midnight, as Ibrahim worked at his table, the air cracked open. It was the loud, sharp, explosive pop of his socket blowing up, followed by the unmistakable odour of burning plastic and electronics.

“I was still sitting at my table working... when I heard kpo-pao! And I started smelling barbecue,” he remarked, recalling the occurrence vividly.

He hurriedly yanked the charger from the extension box, but it was too late. The cycle was complete: he had lost his grandmother’s fan, his laptop charger, and his extension box.

What made it worse was that this was the third fan he had lost within the nearly two years he had spent in the hostel, with the recent losses more like the final nail in the coffin.

“Gloryland is the common factor with everything,” he stated, sadness on his face.

Ibrahim was not alone. His tragedy was the opening in a series of sparks and smoke that erupted across Gloryland Hostel that week. While the impact varied, the description was the same for students across the blocks.

Phone chargers reportedly damaged by the power surge at Gloryland Hostel. Some of the chargers were less than two months old, according to affected students.

Flames During Exam Prep

That same Tuesday morning, Adegbusi Sanmi was reading for his End-of-Posting (EOP) exams in the hostel reading room. Around 4 a.m., the crisis struck at the worst possible hour.

“Around 4:00 AM... I just heard that 'pah!' and I started perceiving a smell,” he recounted. It was the sound of an explosion from the socket where he plugged in his system to read, followed by the pungent smell of burnt electronics.

His first instinct was to remove the charger, but it was too late. When he tried to plug it in again, he found the charger had spoiled.

“I felt bad because I'm preparing for EOP, so this is not the time for that kind of thing to happen,” he said. With exams looming, he had no choice but to scrape together funds from an already stretched budget to buy a new charger that same Tuesday.

But the hostel’s electrical system was not done with him. When he plugged in the brand-new replacement on Wednesday afternoon, the horror repeated.

“Again, I heard another pah!... I saw flame coming from the charger,” he recounted. He quickly unplugged it from the wall, a miracle that saved him from losing his gadget twice in 24 hours. “I just hope that it will continue to work,” he said, hopeful the new charger would survive the damage it suffered.

A Narrow Escape

Awake between 2 and 4 a.m. on Wednesday, Balogun Daniel was cooking when he heard a “poof!” from across the room. A light bulb in an unoccupied bed space exploded, scattering glass across the floor.

“I got alarmed, like okay, what happened?” he recounted. This was his alarm. “I quickly took precautions, went to turn off the sockets in the room.”

But it was too late. Curious to see if anything else was affected, he carefully turned one extension back on to test his charger. It didn’t work. His roommate’s charger also didn’t—two chargers, gone in an instant.

“I got that charger for 7,000 Naira… and it just poof!... I just replaced that bulb like two, three weeks ago… and like that, 1,500 gone,” he lamented.

Laptop power cables damaged by the power surge at Gloryland Hostel. Students said the damage occurred while devices were plugged into wall sockets inside their rooms

Returned to a Lifeless Charger

Around 6 a.m. Wednesday, Thompson Godwin plugged his Laptop in to charge before leaving for school. He set out to jog, but when he returned, it was not the usual scent of his room that greeted him, but the faint, familiar, sickening odor of burnt electronics.

“I’m very familiar with the way chargers smell, especially Laptop chargers after they get burnt,” he said.

His roommate broke the news that there had been a loud sound near the socket and a power surge. “Immediately, I tied the information of what he said and the smell together, and I was like, my charger has probably burnt.”

Godwin’s loss was a Laptop charger he had used for two years. Its death was more than an inconvenience. “I could not charge my laptop for days… most of my books are soft copies, so the rate at which I read was significantly reduced.”

In desperation, he began using an incompatible charger, risking permanent damage to his laptop.

The bitter irony was the unused surge protector lying on his table. “I just felt, well, it’s just like every other day, and nothing should probably happen,” he admitted.

Caught Unawares

Olawale Daniel had missed the morning lamentations in the hostel because he woke up late, only to begin rushing for a 9 a.m. class. The only thing he noticed was that there was no water because the pumping machine couldn't be used due to the "bad light."

Returning exhausted, his phone dead, a fellow resident asked if “the light was better now.” Olawale took it to mean the earlier low voltage had been fixed.

“I was thinking that, okay, possibly there was no light in the morning, and there was now light,” he said. He plugged in his brand-new high-speed phone charger, bought less than two months ago.

The response was immediate. “It made a 'pss,' and then I smelt it. It's the way you smell your charger, and you know something is wrong.”

His ₦6,000 investment was dead on arrival. The shock was compounded by the discovery that he had walked, uninformed, into a known danger zone. “I think maybe much publicity was not done,” he said dejectedly.

THE NUMBERS BEHIND THE SMOKE

To estimate the impact of the incident, ACJOAU circulated a damage assessment form. As responses trickled in, a picture of collective devastation formed across all blocks.

Preliminary survey data captured losses of over ₦180,000, though this excludes the majority of students spoken to in person, whose combined losses would push the total far higher.

Mubaraq Ológùnebi was one of the students who responded. For him, it was a total annihilation of his electronic ecosystem. Over 48 hours, he lost an extension box, a ceiling fan, two standing fans, a Laptop adapter, and a phone charger—a total loss he estimated at ₦64,000.

His repair bill was a ledger of despair: ₦12,000 for the ceiling fan, ₦13,000 and ₦18,000 for the standing fans, ₦15,000 for the adapter, and ₦6,000 for the phone charger. “We woke up to discover the damage,” he wrote.

Olalumade Ezekiel, another resident also lost a ₦45,000 newly bought table fan to the surge on Tuesday. The light flickered about thrice, then there was a pop accompanied with smoke from the bottom of the fan,” he wrote.

Ezekiel’s newly purchased N45,000 standing fan damaged during the power surge at Gloryland Hostel, Obafemi Awolowo University. The appliance had functioned normally before the voltage fluctuation that affected the hostel over two days.

Ezekiel’s newly purchased N45,000 standing fan damaged during the power surge at Gloryland Hostel, Obafemi Awolowo University. The appliance had functioned normally before the voltage fluctuation that affected the hostel over two days.
The Night the Grid Went

THE NIGHT THE GRID WENT ROGUE

Even the Hall Chairman, Toluwalope Faleye, was a victim; his Laptop power cable was fried. Wanting to warn others, he sent a notice to the hostel WhatsApp group, but for many, it was already too late.

When he tried to identify the cause, he found out that the voltage—which should have been a stable 240V—was spiking erratically. “That particular day... it was off the roof of 300,” he recounted.

Alarmed, he alerted the University’s Power Department. The technicians responded within the hour, and by that night, the fluctuations ceased. The immediate fire was out, but the trauma lingered.

When asked if the university could provide reassurance, the Hall Chairman replied bluntly, “There’s no reassurance from anybody.”

He highlighted that the cause was "something central" in the power distribution, pointing beyond the hostel walls, and instead advised residents to “safeguard your belongings.”

THE SHARED TRANSFORMER

Investigating the cause of the voltage climbing “off the roof of 300,” ACJOAU contacted the University’s Power Department, who responded to halt the voltage fluctuations that day. In a telephone interview, the respondent (name withheld for anonymity) provided a shocking revelation.

At first, he offered textbook excuses. He explained that power surges can stem from passive natural causes—wind "marrying" lines, falling poles, or frequency fluctuations. While technically accurate, these reasons failed to explain why a catastrophic surge raged repeatedly over 48 hours, specifically within Gloryland Hostel.

With persistent questioning, he finally revealed a shocking truth. The surge had likely originated from the university’s primary power feed at a station at Ajibandale. This transformer, however, does not serve only the university.

“We share the same transformer with an iron-melting company in town, along Ife-Ibadan Road,” he explained. Confirmations from ACJOAU indicated that the “iron melting company” was likely Ife Iron & Steel Nigeria Limited, a steel factory located on the Ife-Ibadan Expressway. This admission was decisive.

This admission was decisive. While an industrial foundry requires high, stable voltage for heavy machinery, a student hostel requires safe, regulated voltage for domestic electronics. A random fault from "wind" could not have explained the scale of destruction reported by students; a shared grid with a volatile industrial load, however, makes the recurring threat an inevitability.

When asked if the feed could be controlled to prevent these surges, his response was a chilling admission of the university’s lack of leverage. “They [Ajibandele Power Station] said they cannot regulate it more than that because we are not the only one [using it],” he said. The reason? Lowering the voltage to safe campus levels could cause “energy loss” for the factory.

Zero Accountability

This suggests that the instability surging through Gloryland was born in a grid where the electrical needs of a foundry and a student hostel are unequally balanced. While the problem is institutional, the university continues to manage the risk at students' expense.

Despite this systemic failure, when asked what protection existed for students against future occurrences, his response was to the individual rather than the institution. “They can use stabilizers,” he said, suggesting students buy personal stabilizers to protect themselves. He acknowledged the possibility of the university centrally installing “high-voltage stabilizers” to safeguard the entire hostel, but said no such plans exist.

The cruel practicality of this advice, however, dissolves in the face of student life. Already struggling with increased fees, students are now being asked to pay for a problem they did not create; not only to replace what was destroyed, but also to pay extra in the hope of preventing the next destruction.

Having traced the fault line from melted chargers to a faraway foundry, a final, unresolved question remains: In a system where the cause is acknowledged but the accountability is diffused, who ultimately bears the cost when the lights betray those they are meant to serve?

NB: * Ibrahim is a pseudonym to keep the respondent anonymous. In addition, the name of the person who spoke at the Power Department was withheld for anonymity and safety reasons.

NELFUND Extends Application Deadline for 2025/2026 Academic Session

By Divine-Mercy Abioye

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), a federal government-established agency responsible for providing interest-free student loans to eligible Nigerians, has extended the application deadline for the 2025/2026 academic session. The original closing date of January 31, 2026, has been moved to Friday, February 27, 2026.

NELFUND was created under the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act of 2024 to provide financial support for tuition costs and upkeep allowances to qualified Nigerian students attending approved public tertiary institutions and increasingly, to vocational and technical trainees. The fund aims to reduce financial barriers to higher education and improve access, operating through an online portal for applications and verification. 

In a statement released on Thursday, January 29, the agency stated the extension is designed to give prospective applicants additional time to complete and submit their applications. The management noted that the decision intends to ensure that no eligible student misses the opportunity to benefit due to timing constraints or technical delays.

Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, the Managing Director/CEO of NELFUND, described the extension as part of the organisation’s commitment to inclusive access. “This extension reflects our commitment to inclusivity and access. We understand that some applicants may require additional time to complete their submissions, and this decision ensures that every eligible Nigerian student has a fair opportunity to benefit from the Fund,” Sawyerr stated.

The agency urged all prospective students who have not yet completed their applications to use the extended window and ensure all required documentation is uploaded correctly by the February 27 closing date. 

Senator Oluremi Tinubu to Visit OAU, Handover CNG Vehicles and Commission Dream Center

By Sanusi Fawaz 

Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, is set to host the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Her Excellency, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON, on Thursday, January 29, 2026, in an official visit.

Source: Premium Times

The visit will feature the commissioning and formal handover of 50 buses and 10 tricycles donated to the university in October 2025 by the First Lady to improve campus transportation.

This comes on the backdrop of recent transportation challenges students have faced, most notably the long queues they experienced due to severe bus shortages.

 

Long Queues on Campus due to Bus Shortages

Source: ACJOAU

Also slated for commissioning is the Senator Oluremi Tinubu Dream Centre, a facility expected to support student development and community engagement.

The commissioning of the Dream Centre will be performed by the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, adding royal significance to the event.

In anticipation of the visit, the university management has announced that heightened security and restricted movement will be enforced across the campus during the programme. 

Staff and students have been urged to cooperate with security agencies, adhere strictly to official instructions, and maintain proper conduct throughout the visit.

OAU Giants Held to Goalless Draw by FUNAAB in Inter-University Novelty Match

By Sanusi Fawaz 

The Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Giants were held to a 0–0 draw by the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) in an inter-university novelty football match played at the OAU Sports Complex Mainbowl on Sunday, 25 January 2026.

Image Credit: Iscosports

The encounter, which attracted a lively crowd of students and football enthusiasts, formed part of efforts to strengthen sporting ties and promote unity among Nigerian universities. 

Despite creating several scoring opportunities, Coach Faleti’s side, OAU Giants, could not break down a disciplined FUNAAB defense, while both goalkeepers delivered solid performances to keep the match scoreless.

Beyond the action on the pitch, the event also featured the official unveiling of the OAU Giants’ new jersey. The kit was formally presented to the team by OAU Ex-Players, marking a symbolic moment of continuity and support between past and present generations of the club.

Though the novelty match ended without a winner, it reinforced inter-university camaraderie and celebrated the rich football culture within the Nigerian university system.

Beyond Exams: Attendance and Assignments Key to Improving Academic Performance

By Ojelade Pipeloluwa

At the university, there is much emphasis on tests and examinations. In fact, for the majority of students, test and exam weeks are when they get serious, doing overnights in lecture theatres or spending the day in the school library. 

Underlying this belief is perhaps the idea that tests and exams are the defining moments that determine a person's CGPA or pass/fail status in the university.

But in reality, academic performance for many students is shaped long before they enter the examination hall. Across campus, class attendance and assignments continue to influence how well students perform in their courses. Interviewing several students on campus reveals mixed opinions. 

Although examinations remain important, students say consistent attendance helps them better understand course content, while assignments provide opportunities to earn additional marks through continuous assessment.

According to Grace Adeniyi, a 200-level student from the Faculty of Administration, attending lectures regularly has helped her stay on track academically. 

‘Most times, lecturers explain things in class that later come out in assignments or exams. If you miss lectures, you are already behind,’ she stated. 

She also added that even if a student does not perform exceptionally well in exams, assignments can help balance the score.

Joy Adesanya explained that lectures often provide insights that cannot be easily replaced. 

‘There are things lecturers say in class that you will not find in slides or textbooks. Missing that affects both assignments and exams,’ she noted. 

Similarly, Samson Peace, a 300-level student, said being present in class helps her stay focused. ‘When you attend classes, you understand what is expected of you. It also makes you more serious about submitting assignments on time,’ she added.

However, this reaction is not the same for all students. Aliu Salmod, a 300-level student from the Faculty of Science, believes attendance and assignments are sometimes over-emphasised. 

‘I feel attendance and assignments do not always reflect how well a person understands a course. Some students can study on their own and still perform well in exams. Missing a few classes or assignments should not automatically mean losing marks,’ he argued.

Another interviewed student raised concerns about the large marks sometimes awarded for assignments and attendance.

'Once you miss an assignment or attendance, that mark is gone. It becomes zero. That can affect your grade badly, even if you do well in exams. Sometimes the system feels too strict and doesn’t consider individual situations.'

A lecturer from the Faculty of Arts, reacting to these concerns, explained that attendance and assignments are meant to support the learning process rather than serve as punishment. 

‘Assignments help us assess students gradually, while attendance allows them to follow the course properly. Students who participate consistently tend to perform better overall,’ the lecturer noted.

He further added that continuous engagement helps students avoid relying solely on last-minute exam preparation.

Meanwhile, as the academic session continues, attendance and assignments remain essential tools for students seeking to strengthen their academic performance. Beyond examinations, consistent participation in lectures and coursework continues to shape academic outcomes across campus.

New Beginnings as OAU Matriculates Fresh Students for 2025/2026 Session

By Salako Blessing

On Thursday, 15 January 2026, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) was filled with excitement and merriment as hundreds of newly admitted students were formally matriculated into the institution. With bright smiles and overflowing blue gowns, the students gathered at the newly renovated Amphitheatre for the ceremony, marking the beginning of a new chapter in their educational journey.

The ceremony was conducted in two sessions to accommodate all faculties. The first batch included students from the Faculties of Administration, Arts, Environmental Design and Management, Law, and Social Sciences. The second batch comprised the Faculties of Agriculture, Basic Medical Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Computing Science and Engineering, Dentistry, Education, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology.

VC Warns Against Social Vices

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire, congratulated the new students, noting that they were selected from tens of thousands of applicants. He emphasised that OAU remains a centre of excellence and the ‘most beautiful campus in Africa’. In his address, he reiterated the University’s zero-tolerance policy towards social vices, warning that students found engaging in cultism, drug abuse, examination malpractice, sexual harassment, cybercrime, and violent protests will face the full wrath of the law.

‘The degree you will eventually receive is awarded to those who have been found worthy in both character and learning,’ the VC charged the matriculating students. With parents and guardians watching with joy, the matriculating students, led by the Registrar, took the matriculation oath, promising to be obedient to the university authorities, observe all codes of conduct, and refrain from acts of violence.

Mixed Reactions Among Matriculants

OAUPeeps spoke with several matriculants who expressed immense joy. Precious, a student from the Department of Biochemistry, shared her excitement: ‘I feel great today, and the highlight of the day was wearing my matriculation gown. I have been waiting for this day for 3 years, and today my dreams are finally becoming a reality.’

Another student, Odunayo from the Faculty of Law, described her feelings as overwhelming. ‘I feel thrilled and filled with so much excitement,’ she said, adding that she looks forward to a school year filled with academic excellence and meaningful connections.

For Ayomikun, a student of Science Laboratory Technology, the day was both demanding and memorable. ‘Today has been the most stressful and memorable day of my life,’ she said, boldly stating her goal to graduate with a CGPA of 5.0. She noted that the day did not go entirely as planned due to a shift in the programme schedule, with the second session starting at 10:00 a.m. instead of the expected 11:30 a.m.

However, not all students shared the same level of novelty. Joseph, a former student who was readmitted to study Law, expressed a more reserved perspective. ‘I feel indifferent about the whole process because this is not my first time,’ he said. ‘It is better this time around because I will be studying the course I actually want.’

PG Students also Matriculated

The ceremony also saw the matriculation of postgraduate students, including high-profile figures such as Alhaji Ashiru Bola Oyebamiji, the former manager of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), highlighting OAU's continued pull as a centre of academic excellence.

With the ceremony concluded, yesterday marked the beginning of years filled with learning, growth, and new opportunities for the newest members of the ‘Great Ife’ community.

OAU Issues Ultimatum to Students with Manually Allocated Bedspace

By Sanusi Fawaz

The Division of Student Affairs (DSA), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, has released a special directive to all students who received accommodation through manual allocation. The notice urges these students to make the necessary payments within the approved timeframe or risk losing their allocated bed spaces.

In the notice dated 12 January, the DSA clarified that students assigned accommodation during the period the e-portal was down for maintenance must complete their payments strictly through the university’s e-portal. The Division emphasised that no other payment channels will be recognised. 

This release follows the recent temporary shutdown of the school e-portal for maintenance, which began around 24 November. This situation, previously reported by OAUPeeps, prevented many students from accessing the portal to register courses and pay fees until its restoration on 19 December 2025.

The deadline for affected students to complete their payment is Monday, 19 January. After payment, students are expected to submit their bed space clearance forms at the Division of Student Affairs for proper documentation and endorsement.

Furthermore, students whose manually allocated bed spaces are yet to appear on their e-portal accounts are directed to report to Room 4, Division of Student Affairs, on or before 16 January. These students must bring valid proof of school charges payment, specifically their clearance certificate.

The Division emphasised that failure to comply with these instructions within the stipulated deadlines will result in the automatic forfeiture of the allocated bed spaces.

Broken Promises? Maintenance Residents Forced to Pay Hiked Fees Months After Students’ Union Intervention

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.’

OAU Declares Two-Day Lecture-Free Period for Freshmen Ahead of Matriculation

 By Pipeloluwa Ojelade

The management of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, has declared Wednesday, 14 January 2026, and Thursday, 15 January 2026, as lecture-free days for all new students of the institution. The announcement was contained in a special release issued on January 13, 2026.

According to the release, the decision aims to enable newly admitted students to complete their document verification and clearance processes within their respective faculties. The lecture-free days will also allow new students to participate fully in the matriculation ceremony scheduled for Thursday, 15 January 2026.

Relief for Freshmen

Reactions from fresh students across various faculties revealed mixed but largely positive feelings toward the announcement. 

Oloko Mariam, a 100-level student from the Faculty of Arts, said the announcement brought relief to many new students still adjusting to campus life. ‘Everything is still new for me, and moving from one office to another for clearance can be stressful. The lecture-free days reduce pressure and help us focus on important registration activities,’ she said.

Similarly, Samuel Adeyemi of the Faculty of Social Sciences noted that balancing lectures with clearance and payment processes would have been difficult. ‘This decision will really help us prepare properly for matriculation without feeling rushed,’ he stated. 

Blessing Okorie, a 100-level student in the Faculty of Education, emphasised the importance of the policy in ensuring full participation in matriculation. ‘Nobody wants to miss matriculation. Having these days free gives us enough time to sort out our documents and be fully prepared,’ she said.

Mixed Reactions on Campus

Daniel Ogunleye, a 100-level student from the Faculty of Science, described the move as a practical step. According to him, ‘The clearance process can be tiring, especially for students coming from far places. Without lectures, it is easier to move around and complete everything on time.’

Zainab Bello, a 100-level student from the Faculty of Pharmacy, also commended the decision, noting that it reflected an understanding of the challenges faced by newly admitted students. She also said, ‘The lecture-free days will help me avoid missing classes because of clearance and registration. It also helps me skip early 8 a.m. classes while still preparing for Matriculation on Thursday.’

However, Ahabe Joy, a 100-level student from the Faculty of Administration, said the lecture-free days felt like a normal period for her, having already completed her registration. 

‘Since I have finished my clearance and registration, it does not really change much for me. It just feels like a normal day,’ she explained.

The lecture-free days are expected to ease administrative processes and contribute to a successful matriculation exercise for the university’s newly admitted students. However, all fresh students must complete payment of all necessary fees to participate successfully in the matriculation exercise.

OAU Directs 100-Level Students to Activate Portal Accounts for 2025/2026 Session

 By Salako Blessing

The management of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) has instructed all newly admitted 100-level students to log into the student portal to activate their accounts for the 2025/2026 academic session. This directive appeared as a ‘Very Urgent & Important Information’ pop-up on the official University Student Information Portal.

According to the notification, this step is mandatory for all 100-level students to ensure their accounts are officially activated for the upcoming session. This activation is a prerequisite for students to access essential academic services, including course registration, fee payment, and other critical student-related updates.

Students are advised to visit the official university portal and log in using their admission details to complete the process. The university emphasises that failure to activate accounts promptly may result in delayed registration or restricted access to various academic activities and services.

This move aligns with the university's recent efforts to realign the academic session for newly admitted students and integrate new curricula into the Course and Curriculum Management System (CCMAS). All affected students are encouraged to complete the activation process promptly to avoid potential administrative delays.

Passion, Responsibility, and Reward: OAUPeeps Officially Welcomes New Inductees

 By Elijah Olusina

On Saturday, 20 December 2025, OAUPeeps News Agency, a leading campus media organisation, held its induction ceremony for new members at the Social Science Lecture Theatre (SSLT). The event was held under the theme ‘Carrying the Campus Voice: Passion, Responsibility, and Reward’.

The ceremony, which was organised to officially welcome the new members of the agency, brought together students, existing members, executives of the organisation, and other distinguished guests. It was moderated by Alademehin Omotola, the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the agency.

Ceremony in Progress

The event commenced with an opening prayer led by one of the inductees, followed by a welcome address by Ogunlana Klistivivi, the Editor-in-Chief of OAUPeeps news agency. In his address, he shared his history with the organisation and his rise to the position of Editor-in-Chief, citing his passion and purpose for journalism as the primary factors behind his success.

He also expressed appreciation to David Adetula, the founder of OAUPeeps, and other former executives and Editors-in-Chief who served before him. Welcoming the new members, he urged them to make their mark on campus and work tirelessly to ensure their growth. 

‘Let it be clearly known that this moment is not the destination. It is only the starting point—one that opens you up to bigger, better opportunities in the journalism space,’ he stated.

Following the address, a brief ‘get-to-know’ session was held, during which inductees, alongside existing members and executives, introduced themselves, their positions, and their respective departments. The inductees also shared their motivations for joining the agency.

The goodwill message was delivered by Esther Olatimehin, the President of the Association of Campus Journalists, OAU (ACJOAU). She welcomed the inductees and lectured them on the realities of campus journalism, reinforcing that it is not always a ‘bed of roses’ and often comes with backlash for speaking the truth. She explained that being a campus journalist differs from being a public relations practitioner, as journalism involves conducting interviews, gathering facts, and verifying them through fact-checking.

President, ACJOAU addressing New Members

She further emphasized that journalists must be the voice of the students, addressing their issues and representing their views. When conducting interviews, she advised that journalists should ‘convince and not coerce’. 

Stressing that passion alone is insufficient, she remarked, ‘Passion without discipline is reckless.’ She also warned inductees against mixing professional work with personal relationships and urged them to uphold all journalism ethics.

Moving on, David Adetula, the founder of OAUPeeps, addressed the inductees, providing a brief history of the organisation. He emphasised that journalism is a demanding profession that requires passion, responsibility, and consistency. He urged the new members to always stand on the truth and pursue justice, as they represent the voice of the student community. 

He concluded his session with a commitment to support and reward exemplary members who demonstrate hard work and consistency through stories that make a significant impact. 

The ceremony reached its climax with the recital of the commitment pledge by the executives and new members as they were officially inducted. 

Recitation of Committment Pledge

The event concluded with the presentation of certificates to both new and old members, followed by a photo session.