No ID, No Exam: Commercial Activities Grounded In OAU Over Protest
Economic activities in and around the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, were disrupted on Monday as aggrieved students, protesting the delay in the issuance of identity cards, barricaded the institution’s main gate and paralysed vehicular movement.
The protest, led by the Students’ Union, began as early as 7:00 a.m., with students locking the university’s main entrance, effectively halting entry and exit.
The ripple effect was immediate and far-reaching, as vendors, commercial drivers, and academic staff were left stranded outside the campus.
Findings by OSUN DEFENDER revealed that commercial transporters, food sellers, and traders who operate within the university community were among those worst hit.
The blockade forced a total shutdown of routine activities, particularly affecting those who rely on daily income for survival.
“We couldn’t move for almost an hour. It was total gridlock,” said Adewale, a truck driver en route to Osogbo who was caught in the traffic snarl that stretched to the busy Ife–Ede Expressway.
The demonstration was triggered by what students described as “unjust academic victimisation,” stemming from the university’s insistence on ID cards as a prerequisite for participation in upcoming examinations—despite a failure to issue them on time.
“I have perishable goods I couldn’t deliver today. That’s money gone,” lamented Mama Sade, a local fruit seller, visibly distressed after being turned away at the campus gate. “They stopped every car, and if you looked like you were coming to do business, they didn’t let you in.”
While the protest remained non-violent, its impact was unmistakable. Daily income earners, particularly transporters and traders, bore the brunt of the disruption.
Reacting to the situation, the university management released a brief statement on Monday afternoon, promising that ID cards would be distributed within 48 hours.
The administration also assured that efforts were underway to restore normalcy and academic order.
Okikiola Adewale is a young and vibrant undergraduate pen pusher with training in both print and digital journalism. He has a flair for writing, content development and people-oriented reporting to seek societal change.
