Suspended OAU Student Begs For Reinstatement

By Sodiq Lawal

Following a protest at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, last October that led to the suspension of some students who partook in the protest, one of the suspended students, Ibukun Omole, has written the University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Eyitope Ogunmodede, appealing the school’s decision.

Omole, a 500-level student of Department of Civil Engineering, in the appeal letter dated February 6, said he was not on campus on Friday, October 6, 2017, the day the protest was staged.

In his apology letter made available to our correspondent, he stated that: “I hereby humbly write your good office to appeal for my reinstatement as a student of the university. I was suspended via a letter RO.62 Vol.XVII/205 dated 6th October, 2017, titled SUSPENSION FROM THE UNIVERSITY PENDING POLICE INVESTIGATIONS OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES, and signed by the registrar of the university.

“The letter stated that I was part of disruptive activities on and outside the university campus on 5th and 6th October, 2017. The letter also said that I was under a police investigation for these aforesaid activities. May I humbly state from the onset that I was on the university campus on 5th of October, 2017 but was NOT on the campus on 6th October, 2017.

“In respect of my activities on 5th of October, 2017, I wish to state that I did not have any intention of participating in a disruptive activity. I attended a legitimate congress of the students’ union called by the then president of the students’ union, to discuss issues of non-supply of power supply and other utilities on campus, on Thursday, 5th October, 2017. I was also part of a peaceful procession that was resolved to by the congress and carried out after the congress on the same day. No university property was vandalised or destroyed, neither was anyone molested, harassed or assaulted, from my observation as a participant in the procession.

“My participation in the procession was not based on any intent of embarrassing the university and its officials (who I hold with much regard) or disrupting the activities on campus. Rather it was premised on drawing the attention of the university authorities to the plight of students, and seeking immediate relief for students, including myself, who have had to suffer the power outage and water shortage for days.”

“Furthermore, I wish to add that I am not aware of any police investigation of my personality or activities as I have not been contacted by any police authority.”