OAU Students Suffer Transportation Crisis

By Sodiq Lawal

Rising as an effect of the varsity new accommodation policy, students of the Obafemi Awolowo University are suffering serious transport defects.

Shortly after resumption, transportation in and out of the school premises has become daring for students as they  are often seen in large groups queuing while waiting for buses to convey them to their  destinations.

This means have been against the pleasure of students who blame the school authority for such an unfavorable decision.

While expressing his thoughts, Oluwasogo Isreal, a part 3 student of political science Education laments over troubles of movement in the school

In his words, he said “you need to be in school between the hours of 5 to 6 pm to witness things for yourself, Long queues for  students who have to wait long hours before getting bus, you have to be smart as it is now the survival of the fittest.

” Everyone is rushing while some persons after waiting for so long would not get  bus and then be forced to trek from the campus to the school gate”

Aside the sudden population sprout of student accommodated outside the campus, a law limiting the number of available buses allowed to function on campus have been allegedly set up by the school  administration.

This law stipulates that a restricted number of not more than 100 buses are allowed to ply the campus road.

 While some students blamed school accommodation, others claimed that  this is a reason for the deficiency in road movement.

Amidst this controversial struggle, Balogun Oladimeji from the department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering grouses over the effects of this poor state on the students.

“It has really not been favourable for students, Especially in situations where  students have to struggle everyday to get bus to their various destinations after having a stressful day on campus. This is really not a palatable thing because students needs comfortable conditions to ease learning.

“This also wastes their time and keeping them behind schedule because they also have a lot of things to attend to in their various hostels after lectures on campus. Students who have early morning lectures now will have to compete for buses to convey to school, making them look untidy afterwards; While in some cases would either miss classes or be late for them”

Mr Ahmed, a campus bus driver  who spoke with our  correspondent, explained that the transport limitations is an effect of the school new accommodation policy.

He however stated  that although there is a rumoured law that stipulates a regulated number of bus drivers per day but added that  regulation has no effect on the current transport crisis stating that it has  have not been properly implemented.

Mr Abiodun Olarewaju, OAU Public relations officer  while speaking, said the university has no relationship with whatever transportation difficulties faced by the students.

“It has nothing to do with the university and i’m not aware of any transportation problem in the school but if there is, it is not the duty of the school to provide transportation for anybody, so the students should individually find their way in and out the campus” he said.

He however added that there is no  policy that stipulates bus movements stating that he is ignorant of such policy because the management  has no affair with movement of students.