OAU students spoil for war over fees increase

By SIKIRU AKINOLA

Students’ union leadership of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife has reacted angrily to a decision of the university authorities to increase fees payable by new intakes.

Rising from an emergency meeting of presidents of associations, faculties, executives of the Association of Campus Journalists, Hall Executives Council, Students' Representatives Council, Central Executive council and stakeholders in the union, last Tuesday, the students’ representatives warned the university management to reverse its decision or face a major showdown.

In a release jointly signed by the newly elected president of the OAU students’ union, Isaac Ibikunle, and the Secretary General, Olatayo Shittu, the union said it perused the document proposing the 'irrational increment', saying the decision would have grave implication on the common man, whose children would be denied education by the increase.

“We cannot stand in anyway bear the brunt and failure of a failed and irresponsible government by jeorpadising and negotiating our future. It must be reiterated that it (education) is our right and not a privilege under the United Nation's Child Right".

“We may have all come in different ships, but we are in the same boat now as Great Ife. The leadership of the union have embarked on intellectual tactics and strategies as regards this issue by proper engagement, consultation and consolidation with internal and external forces to wield their influence for us on this shocking hike in fees,” the statement said.

The students later resolved that their elected executives should be inaugurated by the management before Friday, this week.

They also resolved that the mass media and social media be explored to publicize the struggle as they contact legal luminaries for assistance.

While advising all banks headquarters not to collect the new fee from prospective students of OAU, students equally agreed that sister unions like ASUU, SSANU, NASU and the Alumni body as well as parents and past student leaders should be contacted.

The management of the university had recently announced an upward review of entrants’ fee by as much as 300 percent, citing dwindling funding from the federal government among the reasons.

It also said it has consulted widely with stakeholders before the decision was made.

WITNESS NIGERIA recalls that the introduction of theN20,000 acceptance fee sparked off protest and led to the closure of the university and immediate proscription of the students’ union on February 23rd, 2011. The ban on the union was only lifted three months ago.

To allay students’ fear, the university said that it didn't take that decision without considering the Nigerian students.

It compared its fees with those of other universities like University of Nigeria, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Federal University of Agriculture,Abeokuta, University of Ibadan, University of Benin, University of Lagos, University of Ilorin, University of Calabar and newly established Federal University of Technology, Oye-Ekiti, saying that “it should be noted that all universities whose figures are cited above are currently revising upwards all charges”.

According to a document obtained by our man on campus, though the approval was recent, the management had been tinkering with the idea for long.

“Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, is presently the only Federal university with the lowest student charges in the country. Efforts to review the charges have been in the pipeline for some time now. It is now imperative to take further action on this matter in view of the following”.

“The overhead cost allocation and subvention received from the Federal Government has dwindled by over 50 per cent compared to what the university received five years ago.

“Despite the decrease in the overhead allocation from the Federal Government, inflation has eaten deep into the meager allocation to the university and therefore makes the current charges paid by fresh students unsustainable,” a statement circulated across the university campus read.

As against the N17150 paid by fresh students in the faculties of Humanities and Social Sciences, N72, 400 has been proposed for incoming students. For those coming to the faculty of Sciences, N78, 400 is the proposed amount as against the old fee of N22, 150. The proposed charge for fresh students in the faculties of Clinical Sciences and Pharmacy are N81, 400, four times higher than the old fee of N22, 150. The fee increase is in addition to the N20, 000 acceptance fee which was introduced three years ago.

A release by the Public Relations Officer of the university, Abiodun Olarewaju stated that the Senate of the University has approved the adjustment, adding that that the old order was no longer realistic in the present-day Nigeria.

"Accordingly, the Senate of OAU has unanimously agreed to further improve on the ratings of the university as the best in Nigeria, especially in terms of giving sound and quality teachings to its students. It, therefore, enjoined parents and guardians of new students to assist the university in this regard by being financially active in the payment of this fee.

"We would like to also inform the general public that tuition is still free in OAU and that acceptance fee remains N20,000:00. Even at the new charges, we are still the best and the cheapest in West Africa and students from other universities could attest to this assertion," the university spokesperson stated.

Olarewaju also noted that the Senate has constituted a committee to take care of the financial constraints of indigent students, adding that OAU will continue to do its best in uplifting the standard of education in Nigeria.