OAU Students Dreading Or Anticipating Strikes?

By Akinfenwa Olaitan

For us in the OAU community, the past week has been a particularly dramatic and interesting week. Quite a number of events that erupted based on the Professor Elujoba trial reflected a lot of opinions of both students and staff members of OAU. In fact, we can say that every faction of the university had a role to play in the events of this week.

First off, recalling to mind that the erstwhile Vice Chancellor was arraigned to court by the EFCC, leading to the call for the solidarity strike by the ASUU OAU Chapter on Monday and Tuesday, and then the controversy with the national body of ASUU. In addition, the power outage and water scarcity on campus and all the ruckus that ensued led to lecture boycotts by the Students' Union that generally brought only one thing to mind - Strike.

The all too familiar feeling of impending strike was so pronounced that students envisioned that all academic activities would be suspended for a long time.
What surprises me most, however, is that the feeling of impending strike was gladly welcome by OAU students, rather than feared. I was amazed to realize that many students actually wanted the troubling events of the week to result into a strike! Isn't it interesting that this is OAU, where embarking on a strike used to be a most dreadful thing for us. This weird anticipation resulted in a conflict of desires for us because while we wanted better welfare conditions, we also secretly wanted the poor conditions to result into a protest and consequent strike.

And so we've had a smooth session for once and we're already missing the old days of  This is quite funny, as students were actually asking for a few weeks of strike so as to relax. Many already seriously preparing to go home, many discarded their upcoming tests and stopped preparing for them altogether. In fact, the jubilation that erupted when a lecture was boycotted made it all too clear what students wanted.
However, regrettably for some, the crisis has settled, electricity and order has been restored. Classes are holding and the looming strike has been forestalled for the meantime. So, we can all forget our fanciful ideas of a premature holiday and go back to our studies peacefully. Finally, tests and exams are fast approaching and our OAU has a new reputation of a smooth calendar which should be a cause of joy to us, not of displeasure.

Elujoba's Trial: Court Grants Erstwhile VC Bail, VC Urges Workers To Resume Work

By Farombi Oluwaseun
The Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-ife was today filled with positive emotions as the erstwhile Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Anthony Elujoba was granted bail by the Federal High Court, Osogbo on the basis of Self Recognizance.


Professor Elujoba, who is facing trial on alleged misappropriation of funds during is time as Acting Vice-Chancellor has been held in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for the past ten days. Despite being reputable for restoring peace to the Obafemi Awolowo University Campus, there are claims that the Professor of Pharmacognosy might have broken the law. 


Members of staff and student unions would however not subscribe to these beliefs as many claim that the allegations arise from a witch-hunt by some caucuses that have deterred the progress of the University over the past few years.

Upon Professor Elujoba's arrival to the University Campus, workers, Students and other members of the University Campus could not contain their emotions as they took to the streets to welcome the former acting Vice-Chancellor. However, although Professor Elujoba would not address the crowd for safety reasons, the current Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor​ Eyitope Ogunbodede appreciated the members of the University Campus present for their support for Professor Elujoba, he then went on to further encourage the workers to resume back to work, reiterating that he was going to uphold the peace that the former Vice-Chancellor had brought to Campus.

However, the case remains in court and many hope that the truth would ultimately be revealed. In the meantime, Professor Elujoba has been granted bail on Self Recognizance, while Mrs Akeredolu, with whom he faces trial has been granted bail under the condition of the payment of N50m and the provision of two sureties.

Fajuyi Hall Lower Buttery Gutted By Flames

The lower buttery of the Adekunle Fajuyi Hall was engulfed in fire at about 9:15pm last night.

The outbreak was as a result of the negligence of the buttery operators. They allegedly left a container of petrol beside the exhaust pipe of the buttery's generator. It took the effort of Fajuyians led by the hall's Financial Secretary (HOLOYE) and some residents to extinguish the fire before the arrival of the Fire Fighters.

The buttery has since been shutdown for security reasons due to the fact that during the course of extinguishing the fire, some cases of theft occurred as some unscrupulous individuals seized the opportunity to loot some goods in the buttery.
More info on the fire will be provided as it unfolds.

DSA Addresses Power Outage On Campus, Says Fault From Faulty Transformer

Following the power outage on the Obafemi Awolowo University campus over the past 24 hours, the Division of Student Affairs has come out with a statement detailing the cause of the fault.

In contrast with speculations that the power outage is as a result of the current trial of Professor Anthony Elujoba, the Division has stated that the power outage is as a result of a faulty transformer and some cables.


The release, which was signed by Professor Aransi, the current Dean of the Division, went on to state that the University Management was already on top of the issue and electricity would be restored as soon as possible.

Elujoba's Trial: Court Adjourns Case, University Students And Workers Protest Detention

For members and friends of the Obafemi Awolowo University, the ongoing trial of the immediate past Vice-Chancellor of the University is on issue that has rocked the University Campus over the past few days.

Whilst many are holding on to the belief that the Professor of Pharmacognosy is being witch-hunted by some political forces that might have not agreed with his emergence as the Vice-Chancellor and the events that followed. The trial which was continued today at the Federal High Court was adjourned to the 19th July 2017. However, the members of the University community that went with him would go into protests when it was stated that the  Professor, who is on the verge of his retirement, would be held at the Ilesha prison.

Some other parties have made claims that the adjournment was a means to unjustly detain the Professor as there are speculations that the court would go on holidays from Monday 17th July 2017. More details to be brought to light as events unfold...

ASUU National Dissociates Self From Local Chapter's Solidarity Action

Following the announcement given by the OAU Chapter of Academic Staff Union of Universities that lectures scheduled for Monday and Tuesday 10th and 11th July 2017 would not hold in Solidarity with Professor Anthony Elujoba, immediate past Vice-Chancellor of the University who is being arraigned by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission. The National body of the Union has come up with a different stance, find the details of the release below;

New Dean DSA, Professor Aransi Promises To Ensure Students' Welfare

By Uthman Samad

Sequential to his appointment as the new Dean of Student Affairs, Professor I.O Aransi has reacted to certain issues concerning the Obafemi Awolowo University in a brief interview with a correspondent of OAU Peeps News Agency.

The head of department of Local Government Studies of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-ife who also doubles as the Chairman of the muslim community of the university was recently appointed as the new dean of the Division of Students Affairs, succeeding Professor Grace Akinola and becoming the first male to hold the position in recent times.

In the interview, whilst addressing some issues on campus, Professor Olalekan Aransi stated that the welfarism of students would remain paramount in his heart during his tenure, in his words, ‘‘I will discharge my duty and ensure that welfarism of students takes my number one agenda because if the student are in good condition, there won't be break or strike and good products will be produced along the line as supports will be sought for from far and near for the embracement‘’. He also disclosed the support of the Alumni association of the university to give some materials to students.

While taking about the need for cordial relationship between the DSA, the management and the students’ union, the new Dean stated that he has met with the suspended president of the Union and his cabinet and they promised​ to give support to the administration to foster peace in the university community.

Talking about student security and the frequent attacks​, Professor Aransi promised​ to look into this amidst other issues as reports were filed, cases upon cases, and proper consultation has been indicted with the security unit of the university to put an end to the frequent occurrences​.

Whilst talking about the allocation of rooms to finalists and fresh students, he pledged to do justice to it as the university management needed to look into the number of students admitted yearly. As this number was often higher than what the available resources could cater for. The professor promised to approach individuals, various companies and organisations for assistance and aid.

Talking about the senate building extension and the new senate building, the new dean of DSA has said, ‘‘there’s nothing bad in development, we should encourage new innovations, new ideas and there’s nothing bad in that, let the university continue to grow. We are in a dynamic world. Building hostels​ are very crucial but that does not stop us from having a befitting senate building’’