OAU Students Laments Harassment, Missed Opportunities Due To Denial Of IDs
By Abiodun Komolafe
Students of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, have expressed their displeasure over non issuance of Identity Cards to any of them for 2016/2017 session.
OSUN DEFENDER campus reporter gathered that both fresh and returning students of the institution were not issued ID cards after they had reportedly paid a mandatory fee of N500 each as part of the miscellaneous charges by the school yearly which allegedly sum up to N17.5 million for about 35,000 students of the school.
Some students told our reporter that they have always had the issue of delay in release of identity cards until last session that they were denied means of identification totally by the school which according to them, has caused them more harm than good as they face harassment by security personnel and miss several educational opportunities that require their ID cards.
“When some of us were given part time job to do as students, we pleaded with them that it was our school which delayed the issuance of our ID cards. It is however pathetic that we become liars when the institution fails to issue us any. It is nothing but fraud”, Toheeeba Adigun, a student of Dramatic Arts said.
Eniola Olaniyan, a 300 level student explained to OSUN DEFENDER that the irregularities of the management exposed the students to assault within and outside the school, saying, “The institution charges N500 each from over 35,000 students which amounts to over N17.5 million, yet we are exposed to assault even by members of the school security personnel.
“Imagine the likes of Abiola Booster and Baba Ibeji who are the institution security personnel asking students means of Identity card when they refuse to produce any. I was delayed and embarrassed”, he said.
While narrating his ordeal, Lekan Adedoyin said he was detained at Moore Police station for two day due to inability to provide means of identification.
The spokesperson of the institution, Abiodun Olanrewaju, however ascribed the failure of the University to issue ID Cards to the students throughout the session to logistics problem.
“Identity cards were not given to our students for 2016/2017 academic session due to some logistics problem. First and foremost, the university management never collected a dime from anybody for ID card, so let us get that clear. The idea of ‘they collected money from us and they didn’t give us ID card’ is exceptionally propaganda.
“Secondly, we had some logistics with icons and we don’t want to commit any error because OAU is a brand on its own.
“Actually, the issuance of ID card for this session and for the last session are in top gear.”
