Tuition Fee Hike: OAU SU Threatens To Shutdown Banks, Campus, Nigeria

• Sodiq Lawal

All financial institutions (banks) in Ile Ife, Osun State have been put on notice, to suspend any payment from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) pending the time the Students’ Union of the University will write them or face the hardest-ever student uprising.

The Students Union equally threatened to shutdown the activities of the University campus and the entire country if the management of the university fail to engage the leadership of the Union.

The declaration was made by
on Thursday in a resolution letter signed by the Students Union President, Abbas Akinremi, Financial Secretary, Fasina Damilare and Public Relations Officer, Omisore Elijah after the congress of the Great Ife Students that was held yesterday, September 14th, 2023.

They opined that the increase in tuition fees has negatively affected students particularly those who are from the poorest of the poor but managing and struggling to get to school.

The Students Union directed all financial institutions in Ile Ife and campus to suspend any payment from OAU pending the time the Union will write them and if otherwise, their branches in Ile Ife and campus will be shutdown.

Part of the congress resolution letter reads , “That the leadership of the Union with immediate effect call for press conference to keep the public and generality of Great Ife Students abreast of the happenings in the University community, and the position of the students populace.

“That all financial institutions, remote especially ignore and suspend any payment from OAU pending the time the Union will write to them, if otherwise, their branches in Ife and OAU campus will be shutdown.

“The congress agreed that the University management be given 5 days ultimatum to engage the leadership of the Union after which we hit the street and shutdown the activities on campus and the entire country if the ultimatum isn’t met”

Recall that the management of the University had on Tuesday announced the new school fees payable by both new and returning students of the institution ahead of the resumption for the 2023 academic session.

This was revealed to OSUN DEFENDER in a statement released by its Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olarewaju.

He said the revised fees are applicable to the 2023 academic session alone.

The statement noted that the adjustments were approved during an emergency meeting of the University Senate on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, and cut across various faculties.

According to him, “for those in the Faculties of Arts, Law and Humanities , the ‘freshers’ will pay #151, 200 while returning students of the same faculties will pay #89,200.

“For those in the Faculties of Technology and Science, the new students will pay #163, 200 and the returning students of the same faculties are to pay #101, 200.

“In addition, the new students being admitted into the Faculties in the College of Health Sciences, and the Faculty of Pharmacy are to pay #190, 200 ( new students) and #128, 200 ( returning students) respectively. “