The Transportation Dilemma On Campus: Who Is To Be Blamed?

By Gem

The hike in transportation prices around the OAU community has become a sore topic for all students of this great institution, especially for the large percentage of the student populace that stays off campus.

Even when the prices of transportation were not this high, students were struggling to pay the transportation prices. After the increase in hostel prices off campus, it seems the spirit of extortion has spread from hostel owners to the motorcyclists and bus drivers.

They do not understand the basic fact that we are students, and a large number of these students do not have the financial means to meet up to these excessive prices. Speaking with some of these motorcyclists and bus drivers, they are not even remotely apologetic, showing that they have little to no care about the students and our well-being.

They need to understand the fact that most students are still receiving money from their parents and there are self-sponsors as well. The little pocket money received from parents is still used to pay the outrageous transport fare. Taking a look at a student who stays in Mayfair, after paying huge money for rent, will still have to pay #200 to go to campus everyday, #1000 if he goes to school five days a week and that's #5000 a month. Let's assume he was sent #10000 every month, so HALF of his monthly allowance will go to transport fare every month and it might even be more than that. How do you expect such a person to feed? And we are crying that the number of yahoo boys on campus is increasing daily. For those staying in areas like Damico or Modomo where you almost always have to get a motorcycle to carry you to campus gate, the price is even more!

Not every student is from a rich home, and even if we are, are we expected to be spending money anyhow? This issue is making most students to start looking for accommodation on campus which is not provided since the spaces in hostels of residence are not enough. 

The Union of motorcyclists and bus drivers will be ready to say that the hike in price is as a result of increase in fuel price and scarcity as well. Looking at it, if we decide to calculate all the profits they will make if they don't increase transportation price and increase only the number of passengers, it will cover up for the hike in fuel price. But now, they increased the transportation fare and they still carry 4 passengers per seat which is not fair AT ALL! Most students have decided to start stabbing some classes due to increase in transportation price. What consequences does this pose to the students' academics in general? 

Ife should be a student community, but it often feels like it is an area where the locals try as hard as they can to extort students and make them feel as uncomfortable as possible. 

Whose fault is it now, the transporters or the school who fail to provide enough accommodation? Or do we go all the way up the ladder and blame the President of our great country Nigeria? I mean, if there was no fuel scarcity, then the prices might not have been increased. But knowing how Ife bus drivers and motorcyclists work, it was only a matter of time before all these prices were increased. Is it not just last year that the price of bus movement from campus gate to campus was increased to #50. How much longer before we have to start paying double that?

It is with a heavy heart that I write this article because I am witnessing the plight of so many students. This excessive milking of OAU students for theirs and their parents’ hard-earned money needs to stop! 

To all whom it may concern!

Driver Who Assaulted A Student Banned From OAU Campus For Two Weeks

Following the  assault of a student from the department of Quantity Survey, the driver with the plate number DTN 869 XA (OSUN) has been banned from working on OAU campus for the next two weeks. 

Recall it was earlier reported by OAU Peeps News Agency that a driver assaulted a student on Wednesday, 2 March 2022 and the Great Ife Students' Union has made it known that tougher approach will be used to make sure that the driver is punished. 

In a Press Statement made available from the office of the PRO-Elect, Comrade Ogunperi Taofeek Olalekan, Tao has made it known that the driver has been banned from OAU Campus for two weeks, paid a sum of ten thousand naira for medical bills of the assaulted student and also write a letter of apology to the student which include the avowal that he will never perpetuate such socially unacceptable behavior again. 

The Union however commend the security department of the Union and the Leadership of the driver's association for their cooperation in ensuring that the assailant driver was brought to book. 

Union members are however encouraged to always draw the attention of the Union to any issue which may undermine their welfare and safety and were assured that their welfare and safety are paramount interest of the Union and the Union shall always do its best at ensuring them.   

Between FASA and SATIRE, Who Won?

 By Ajibade Abdullah Adewale

Over the last few months, silence has been a dominating feature of the Faculty of Arts Students’ Association even when the association doesn’t have an administration and also amidst corruption allegations.

However, their consciousness has resurrected after a few lines of satirical paragraph directed to the leader (s) of a faction (s) in the association went viral.

To begin with, some students who found it complicated to decipher the satirical part of the story which has generated this uncontrollable uproar has only proven the widespread claim that the association only boast of orientation but is not oriented. And any student who writes to counter the above will do a favour of “further acknowledgement”.

With the uproar that the article garnered, it is easy to deduce that FASAites have a lot to unveil, the rationale behind their silence remains blurry. How will students of one of the acclaimed politically oriented associations be silent when their voices need to be heard?

Daily, FASAites have always demanded accountability in silence. They murmur the mismanagement of the administration of that time (2019/2020) while they continually cannot have their voice heard. “For how long will FASAites remain mute and watch as the association deteriorates?” This question birthed the SATIRE.

 

The Faculty of Arts Student Association will only need to prove its status subsequently for a few lines paragraphs of SATIRE has revealed how fragile her mightiness has become.

To the “pro-corruption faction” who celebrated the innocence of their leader, it is high time they revisit the definition of SATIRE. To the “anti-corruption” faction who understood the SATIRE, this is a win for the progress of FASA.

On this note, like Muhammad Ali, SATIRE has stung the face of FASA. Make-up or bleaching oil can not garnish this face again, except there is an instantaneous change.

SATIRE WON!

Students' Union To Take Tougher Approach At Ensuring Assailant Town-Igboro Driver Is Punished

The Great Ife Students' Union has made their stand on the town-igboro driver that assaulted a student of the department of quantity survey on Wednesday, 2 March 2022. 

Recall it was earlier reported by OAU Peeps News Agency that a town-igboro driver assaulted a student after failing to drop him at the agreed destination which they agreed on before leaving Banking Area. 

In a Press Release that was made available to OAU Peeps News Agency, the union  the report of a   student that was assaulted by a Town-Igboro driver. 

The Union in its statement said: "This afternoon, the Students' Union received the disturbing report of a Town-Igboro driver assaulting a student. The Students' Union condemns totally this uncivil and destructive behavior of the said driver. The Union considers this as a red flag for the peace of our University community and especially the safety of Union members that must not be taken with levity.

From the accounts of the victim, the Union has gathered that there were altercations over transportation issues between the driver and the students he was conveying in his bus from Bank Area to AP. The driver, because of the altercations, decided to drop all the students at Mayfair. Because of this driver's behavior, the student assaulted said he photographed the plate number of the bus for the purpose of reporting what the driver did. The student was afterwards threatened so that he could delete the photograph. Seeing that he refused to delete it, the driver assaulted the student with three punches in the face.

The assaulted student came to SUB, still hurting from the pains inflicted on him by the driver. Based on the report and the evidence of assault already photographed, the Union immediately conducted a search at the bus stops to fish out the driver but he had absconded. The Union has since then mandated the drivers' association to provide the said driver.

For the Students' Union, failure of the drivers' association to provide the assailant driver is tantamount to provoking the Students' Union to take a tougher approach at ensuring that the driver is adequately punished for the assault he perpetuated. The Union insists on and is working towards swiftly ensuring that the assailant is punished."

Town-Igboro Driver Assaults Student

By Red

A Quantity surveying student, Siyanbola Pelumi, of Obafemi Awolowo University narrated his unfortunate encounter with a bus driver today Tuesday, 2nd March 2022.

In his report, he narrated how a bus driver with the plate number Osun DTN-869XA gave him three blows on his face after snapping his plate number for refusing to drop him at the agreed destination.

In his statement he said, "I have been hearing of students been assaulted by Drivers and bike men, today I was a victim..

I boarded a bus from Banking area calling A.P/MAYFAIR, which I entered going to A.P.

The man in an aggressive and unrespectful manners have had different nonchalant and unimpressive conversation with students in the bus, which he even said different words against the SU Officers and the students at large anytime  the students complained about the inconveniences they have been making students passed through.

On getting to Mayfair the man in an aggressive manner told the passengers that he is not going to A.P again that he will drop everyone at Mayfair. On hearing this, immediately stood against it and that led to an arguement between myself and the bus driver. He  turned back at Parakin Junction at Mayfair.

Furthermore, immediately I alighted, I gave him his money and took a picture of the bus plate number, he came  down  from the bus threatening me to delete the picture I already took, where I told  him I won't, he even threaten to break my phone. The next thing I heard was blows on my face, imagine, *Three blows on my face*.. I decided to be diplomatic and had severe arguement with the man without any physical contact.

After the whole brouhaha in town, I came back to the SU building to make report of the whole scenario. We have since been looking for the man on  campus but all to no avail .

If this man is seen any where please do well to get to the S.U. executives or the Security committees.. HE IS NOW DECLARE WANTED

Attached to this is the Plate number, Pictures and proof that he assaulted me"

Speaking to our Correspondent, Mr Niyi a town-igboro driver said the case is been taken care of by the town-igboro drivers' association as the chairman has went to town to settle the case and to make sure the culprit is dealt with according to the law of the association which bound even bus drivers to fight themselves talkless of fighting students. 

When asked if the issue will be brought to the students' Union building, he said it won't as adequate punishment will be passed on him and he might not be chanced to enter campus again. 

Take It Back Campus Movement Express Disappointment In Union Officers

By Onyekpe Okechukwu

Due  to the rate at which price exploitation on campus has increased, coupled with sudden hike of transportation fees and ASUU strike, a press statement was released by the "TAKE IT BACK CAMPUS WING MOVEMENT, OBAFEMI AWOLOWO UNIVERSITY BRANCH, ILE-IFE"  during the early hours of Wednesday, 2nd March, 2022  calling out the union to come out and fight for the rights of the students and stop hiding behind the guise of “ELECT”. The Statement of the Press Release read thus:

"No doubt, this present days has been so harsh on the Great Ife Students', with a sudden hike on the transportation fee, increase in commodity prices, and to worsen the matter, ASUU strike. These are very hard times which calls for an action from the Great Ife Students' Union, however, unfortunately, the union has become so handicapped that it can't even help matters.

It is disappointing, that while students are made to face hardships like this, we have union leaders who can not exhibit the purpose for which they were elected by students, on the excuse of not being inaugurated. Great Ife Students' Union leaders have been making use of the title "elect" for months now and have being hiding like a baby behind this title to run away from her duty. We find this so unfortunate that students are being left to cater for themselves.

Recently, we felt a little glimpse of light was about to show on the state of the union, when we started seeing a release claiming the Union leaders will be inaugurated on March 3,2022 - at least we will do away with the excuse of "elect". Only until today, the Association of Campus Journalists, in a news, reported that the inauguration had been postponed, funny enough, it was postponed with no definite date!.

This is a total mockery of the Great Ife Students' Union, that in a time like this where Students are in dire need of their union, to take prompt actions on matters that are affecting them, the management refuse to speed up the inauguration of leaders that were duly elected by students into different positions. The postponement is condemned in all ramifications and we enjoined the Great Ife Students to speak up against this.

However, it is also important to display, without mincing word, a total disappointment in the union leaders who have failed woefully in representing the union. In a time where  union of other universities are making release concerning ASUU strike, we have union leaders who do not deem it fit to make any progressive stand over the ASUU strike, not even a single release to intimate Students about why some lecturers are on strike and why some are not and provide way forward in that line. We have a union who could not demand Justice for Heritage and cowardly, buried down the justice cry for Heritage, Great Ife, we have union leaders who stylishly avoid having intellectual engagement with the bus drivers over the sudden hike in the transportation price. To mention but little, are the countless exhibit of incapacity that this union leaders have displayed, all ok the excuse of "elect".

We hope to make it clear to the union leaders, that the students do not invest their precious time to vote them in, only for them to start hiding under the "elect" title, hence avoiding struggles that needs their actions. Great Ife Students need their union now, more than ever, and we need a vibrant union that will represent us boldly, not a toothless union!.

We encourage students to stat calling out their elected honorables out in different faculty and department, pointing out their failures right into their face. The Union is our strength and as our strength, it can't be week.

Let's not forget the words of Frantz Fanon that said "Every Generation, out of relative obscurity, finds it's mission, to betray it or to fulfil it".

Speaking to our correspondent the PRO Elect of the Union, Comrade Ogunperi Taofeek Olalekan, Tao said  "The elected officers of the Union have not been hiding. You will recall that we have been making various efforts about issues that concern students, including but not only welfare and security issues. We have made several and widely circulated releases on those issues. All such releases can be found on the Telegram channel of the Students' Union (https://t.me/greatifestudentsunion). 

Particularly, on the issue of transportation, not only have we been able to put in place an instant solution, which is the provision of a ₦30 Marcopolo bus which helped eliminate the transportation impasse, we have actually regulated the costs of transportation of motorcycles which had gone as high as ₦250 before. Yes, we know there are still many problems to resolve on transportation, especially with the Town-Igboro drivers. We did acknowledge this in our most recent release published on Sunday, 27 February 2022 (please check).

We are not relenting in our efforts. We are not hiding. We are doing all that we do, regardless of the fact that inauguration has not been done, using our resources because we are committed to upholding the mandate the students gave us, despite all challenges that doing so come with. For us, there is no compromising the principles and cultures of our esteemed Union."

Students' Union Inauguration And Swearing Ceremony New Date Revealed

The Electoral Commission of the  Great Ife Student's Union has announced the new date for the inauguration and swearing in of the elected officers. 

Recall that  it was earlier reported by OAUPeeps News Agency that the inauguration date which was earlier stated for 3rd of March, 2022 has been postponed and a new date will be communicated shortly. 

However, in a statement made available to the OAU Peeps News Agency by the Electoral Commision of the Union. The inauguration and swearing-in ceremony of the Union Officers will now hold on Tuesday, 8th March 2022 at Afrika Amphitheater by 12:00PM Prompt.