OAU Students Docked Over Alleged Assault Of Moremi Hall Warden

By Farombi Oluwaseun 

Today at the Ajebamidele High court, five Students of Obafemi Awolowo University have been charged to court today after opposing the eviction of students from Moremi hostel as earlier reported by OAU Peeps News Agency here

Speaking earlier with Journalists before the court proceedings, Honourable Omole Ibukun, one of the students suspended last year for participating in a protest, condemned the arrest of the students by the management. According to him, the act is to make silent the agitations of students against ant-students policies.

  "They believe they can proceed with the eviction exercise by keeping those comrades in police detention." he added. 

However, in a release obtained by OAU Peeps News Agency and signed by Babatunde Oyatokun, the Chief security Officer of the university said the  students were arrested for alleged assault and harassment  of the hall warden, Mrs Adeyemo, and other officers during the process of sending students out so as to embark on renovation of hostels.

  "A student named Gbenga Oloniran led a group of students that invaded, harassed and assaulted the hall security assistant and held hostage the warden of Moremi hall." The report read.

Mr. Babatunde further recommended in his release that the university management should look into the antecedents of the aforementioned students so as to make them face students disciplinary committee. He concluded that the case has been referred to the Nigeria Police ,ile-ife for further action of which led the case being referred to the Court of law by the Nigeria Police Force.

The apprehended students are Gbenga Oloruniran, a 400 level students of Geography; Olajide Ademola, a 500 level student of Electrical Electronics; Oyedeji Samson, 300 level student of Pharmacy; Jimoh Oladipupo, 300 level student of Biochemistry; and Adeniji John, 300 level student of Electrical Electronics Engineering.

Meanwhile at the court,protesting students and journalists were denied access to the court room by the Federal Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigerian Police team led by ASKME MOSES  who was instructed by the Area Commander (AC) of the force.

After listening to both sides in the court proceedings, the judge granted each of the embattled students a bail of five hundred thousand naira only(500,000) with  provision of two sureties who are civil servants level 11 and has their taxes paid up to date.

Speaking with our correspondent, one of the defense counsels of the arraigned students,  Barrister Philip added that the bail application is the only step they can push before further court proceedings.

    Afterwards, students protested outside the court premises against the bail terms by raising placards and chanting songs with the high impossibility of the arraigned students meeting the bail terms.

The case has however been adjourned till April 3,2018  

OAU Evicts Students Over Hostel Renovation

By Uthmad Samad

The management of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, on Wednesday instructed security operatives to eject students from the halls of residence.

Some students on campus said an announcement was made using public address systems in various halls of residence, giving them 24 hours to vacate the buildings.

Although the university is on vacation, students on teaching practice programmes and other forms of internship are occupying the halls.


At Moremi Hall, evicted female students could be seen sitting on their luggage insisting that they would not leave until provisions are made for them.

“I have nothing to say about the eviction as my boss who is the dean of students affairs division has ordered them to do so,” Olowu Ekaete, Moremi hall warden, told OAU Peeps News Agency.

Ayodeji, a final year student who said she is working on her project said the alternative hall provided is asking for a letter from their respective heads of department.

“We have been here since the school has been on break and no light, water. We didn’t complain and they are now asking is to leave for another hostel which is Akintola hall,” she said.

“On getting there they asked us to bring a letter from our HOD. Our HODs have not been on their seat and we have nowhere to stay” :she added.

Omolayo, a 300 level student doing teaching practice, said she had to rush down to pack her belongings.

“I was called right from where I am doing my TP that the hall portals have been directed to be throwing out our luggage. I have to rush down and pack my things.”

Recall it had earlier reported that the university had begun renovation of the halls of residence, which the dean of students affairs described as difficult because undergraduates were still on campus.

However, some protesting students who opposed the move by the management have been arrested.

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SSANU, NASU, NAAT Suspend Three Months strike

• The non-academic unions of universities, which began an industrial strike since December 4, 2017, has suspended its strike.

The Chairman of the Joint Action Committee of the unions, Samson Ugwuoke, announced this decision at a briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, noting that “based on extensive consultations with our various organs, we hereby announce the suspension of the strike action embarked upon by JAC with effect from today, March 14.”

The JAC comprises of the National Association of Academic Technologists, the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities.

"No University Is Happy Seeing Students Living In Bedbugs Infested Rooms"- OAU VC Comments On State Of Accomodation On Campus

By Ojelabi Jesujoba

It was an auspicious occasion on Saturday, 10th March 2018 at the Ajose Lecture Theatre of the Obafemi Awolowo University, ile-ife as the Association of Campus Journalists hosted her annual International Campus Journalism Conference (ICJC 2018). The conference which is in its fifth year and is held once every session hosts schools from all over Nigeria and seeks to improve the quality of  Campus journalism and journalists in the country.

This year had in attendance important dignitaries such as the Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba AbdulRasheed Akanbi; the Vice-Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede; Mrs Okuntala, A Business woman and the veteran journalist; Mr Sam Omatseye who was ably represented at the occasion served as the Keynote Speaker and spoke on the topic; Journalism as an elixir in the fight against terrorism.

In his address, the Oluwo of Iwo charged the students on improving the quality of their work whilst giving his views on various philosophical matters. The Oba which left a majority of the students startled by his talk then proceeded to pray for them.

The Vice-Chancellor also in his address at the event commended the organisers of the program for organizing such a program. The Professor of Dentistry confessed that he was also a member of the association some 41 years ago when he participated in Campus Journalism as an undergraduate student under the Buggle news agency. The Vice-chancellor mentioned that despite the fact that the University did not have a department of Mass Communication, it had produced some of the finest journalists in the country and plans were on to introduce the Department.

Speaking on the recent accommodation policy of the University, the Vice-Chancellor expressed that it was a necessary evil and was going to be implemented. He mentioned that the current pressure mounted on the resources of the Halls of residence was way above what they were created to cater for and he acknowledged that the current state of the numbers in the Halls was due to the Ife-Modakeke crisis that saw a lot of students move to campus. He however stated that steps were already being taken towards resolving this and even though it might be inconvenient at first, it was going to pay off ultimately. He then reaffirmed that no fee was being increased as against the current speculations being spread.

Prolonged Varsity Workers Strike Likely To Be Called Off Next Week

The Federal Government has agreed to source for about N8 billion to settle the Earned Allowance of striking non teaching staff of Nigerian Universities within the next five weeks.

The workers have therefore been asked to suspend their ongoing industrial action by Wednesday, March 14 to allow full activities to return to the campuses.

This decision formed part of the agreement reached between the striking workers under the Joint Action Committee and the federal government after two days of conciliatory meeting which also agreed that no worker will be victimized on account of taking part in the strike action.

The agreement was signed by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, Minister of State for Education, Prof. Anthony Anwukah, President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), Comrade Samson Ugokwe, President of the National Association Academic Technologists (NAAT), Com. Sani Suleiman and General Secretary of Non Academic Staff Union (NASU), Com. Peters Adeyemi.

The workers had gone on a total and indefinite strike action on December 4, 2017 as a result of failure of the Federal Government (FG) to implement some of the contents of the Agreement of 20th September, 2017 between the Federal Government and JAC.

The agreement, copy of which was made available to The Nation indicate that the government and the unions agreed that: “Government is to source for eight (8) billion naira within five (5) weeks to pay JAC of SSANU, NAAT and NASU members and members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), who did not get paid in the last disbursement exercise.

“The Federal Ministry of Education  reported that the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) has started payment of Salary Short falls and the process is still ongoing. The FME is to synergize with the concerned institutions to ensure compliance with Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA) requirements to facilitate payments of JAC members in the Universities that are yet to comply.

“The National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) is to rework the 15th December 2017 Call Circular taking into consideration the observations of JAC of NAAT, NASU and SSANU with a view to ensuring that it complies with the National Industrial Court (NIC) judgment.

“The Federal Ministry of Education has made submissions to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) for onward transmission to the National Council on Establishment (NCE) meeting, slated for 18th March, 2018, in Owerri and is expected to report the outcome in 5 weeks.

 “The Federal Ministry of Education had put forward an application for the visitation panel to the Presidency and is to follow-up and report outcome in 5 weeks. The main thrust of visitation is to re-energize the Institution, unearth corruption and maladministration in these Institutions.

“It was also agreed that the Federal Ministry of Education would set in motion appropriate machinery for the release of White Paper in respect of previous visitation panel reports already with Government.

“The Honourable Minister of Labour and JAC leadership agreed that the ongoing strike would be suspended by Wednesday 14th March 2018, after due consultation with their National Executive Councils (NECs). No Worker would be victimized on account of this industrial action.”

JAC Strike:OAU NASU Chairman Docked Over Assault Allegations

By Uthman Samad

The Chairman of Non-Academic staffs of the Obafemi Awolowo university Comrade Woke Odewunmi was today in a Magistrate Court in Osun state over alleged  assault Of Olarinde Olaide  after being  remanded on the 6th of March at Kosere Prisons in Ile-ife.

   The  Olarinde Olaide was allegedly mobbed and  assaulted by the union workers 'led by Wole Odewumi' while disrupting the examinations of the Post-graduate Students in the university during one the protests of the Non Teaching staff unions against the Earned allowance owed by the Federal Government.

After listening to both parties through their counsels, Justice F.I Omisade, the presiding Judge at the Magistrate Court located in Ile-Ife, Osun state granted the accused (OAU NASU Chairman) bail on self-recognizance.

  The presiding Judge further stated that the condition of the bail includes providing two sureties, who are civil servants and have attained at least Level Ten according to the civil service commission ranking.

   However, the judge during the proceedings, expressed his disappointment at the two parties and noted that a civil matter of that nature should have been settled in the university community and not dragged to court.

   "It should not have degenerated up to this level", the Judge added.

 Speaking with OAU Peeps News Agency, the defense counsel of the accused, Barrister S.T.A Raji, expressed his happiness, he said " this is just one of those normal court cases. We have been successful with the bail application."

   Also, a female senior lecturer in the university, Kehinde Ajila, told our correspondent that the court case is being fueled by some of the university officers and it is aimed at frustrating the struggle of the aggrieved unions.

"Those professors, who we fought for the increment in their salaries are now those who want to frustrate the struggle for the payment of workers' allowance."- she added.

   However, all effort to speak with the complainer, Olarinde Olaide, proved abortive as the lawyer denied our correspondent access to his client.

  It will be recalled that the non teaching staff unions of Universities, comprising the Non Teaching Staff Union (NASU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian University (SSANU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) have embarked on an indefinite strike action since last year against the Federal Government over an alleged disparity in the disbursement of Earned allowance to all the staff unions in Nigerian Universities with 89& allocated to ASUU and 11% allocated to the three above Unions.

The case has however been  adjourned to  15th of March,2018

Admissions: 2018 UTME To Commence Tomorrow

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has directed candidates for the 2018 UTME to print their examination notification slip.

The board’s Head of Media and Information Department, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, said in Lagos that arrangements had been concluded for the successful conduct of the exam scheduled to hold from March 9 to March 17.

“With have successfully conducted the Mock Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) on Monday, February 26, and based on that, we can confidently say, we are good to go…

“Candidates can now go ahead and print their examination notification slips"".

“These candidates must ensure that these slips are printed before Friday, March 9 in order to farmiliarise themselves with the examination schedules as no form of excuse for missing the examination will be entertained.

Benjamin, however, warned candidates not to go to their respective centres with prohibited items such as telephones, wristwatches, pens, and other devices.